Southern California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
If you have an elderly parent or other loved one in a nursing home or assisted-living facility in Los Angeles County, you should always pay close attention so that you can identify possible signs of elder abuse or neglect. In Los Angeles County and across the state of California, protections for elderly adults are far behind those available to seniors in other states, according to a recent report from KTLA news. Indeed, that report cites a recent study conducted by WalletHub that shows California ranking at the very bottom — number 51 — in terms of protections against elder abuse and neglect.
Our Los Angeles County nursing home neglect lawyers can tell you more and can speak with you today about any concerns you have.
Study Addresses California’s Poor Record Concerning Elder Abuse Protections
The WalletHub study looked at a total of “16 key indicators of elder abuse protection” in three separate categories to identify patterns of “elder abuse, gross neglect, and exploitation complaints” in relation to the legal protections available to older adults in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. When all indicators are examined together, California is the worst state, coming in last, for elder safety in the country. Yet California does not have the worst figures in every category.
When it comes to the number of complaints concerning elder abuse, gross neglect, and exploitation, California does come in last but shares that ranking with Nevada and South Carolina. In other words, California has some of the highest numbers of elder abuse complaints in the country. Yet California does a slightly better job funding its long-term care ombudsman program and elder abuse prevention measures more generally compared to other states. Further, California ranks in the middle when it comes to nursing home quality — certainly not the best, but not the worst, either. Hawaii and Alaska rank at the top for best nursing home quality in the country.
How to Protect Older Adults in California Nursing Homes and Assisted-Living Facilities
What can you do to help ensure that your elderly loved ones are safe at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Orange County and throughout Southern California? In short, it is critical to do your research on the facility in advance and then to be aware of common signs of abuse and neglect. You should also remember that even a facility with a clear record can be a place where elder abuse occurs.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) emphasizes that there are many forms of nursing home and elder abuse, and it is important to learn the signs of physical and emotional abuse, as well as sexual abuse, willful deprivation, and passive neglect.
Contact a Los Angeles County Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney
Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities should be safe places that provide our elderly loved ones with the type of care they need. When a facility is negligent or when a resident of a facility sustains an injury due to abuse or neglect, it is critical to hold the nursing home or assisted living facility liable. One of the experienced Los Angeles County nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at our firm can talk with you today to learn more about your concerns and discuss options for filing a claim. Contact the Walton Law Firm for assistance today.
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