The U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit has ruled that the Federal Nursing Home Reform Amendments grants residents of county-operated nursing homes the right to bring civil rights claims for allegations of abuse, neglect, or other care-related complaints. The ruling arose in a case involving the 80-year-old Melvinteen Daniels, who…
For the fourth congress in a row, a bill designed to protect seniors from elder abuse has been reintroduced. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark, submitted the bill with the goal of protecting elderly Americans from physical, financial, and psychological abuse. The bill would order the federal government…
The Ombudsman Services of Northern California, an organization dedicated to creating a corps of compassionate advocates for residents in long-term care facilities believes that state budget cuts to its ombudsman program will lead directly to an increase in cases of elder abuse and neglect. This year the organization, which tracks…
It is hoped that a new California law which will go into effect January 1, 2009 will cause increased reporting of thefts from elderly residents of nursing homes. The new law will require police and facility ombudsmen to immediately report cases of known or suspected elder abuse, specifically including theft,…
Washington D.C.’s most powerful lobbyists are being hired by the nursing home industry to fight congressional efforts to reform the industry. The industry is closely watching bipartisan legislation that would significantly increase oversight and enforcement of nursing homes around the country. The new legislation, recently introduced by Sens. Grassley (R)…