Do you have an older relative in need of care either at home or perhaps in a long-term residential facility? If so, you are one of many other Alabama residents facing the tough realities that come with balancing taking care of loved ones’ daily need while protecting them from abuse or neglect. Sadly, this abuse or neglect often comes at the hands of those tasked with providing care to a person.
Using U.S. census data, the National Center on Elder Abuse indicates that not only has the nation’s population of people over 65 and over 85 grown in recent decades, but it is expected to continue rising for the next several decades. Those who have reportedly experienced physical abuse are said to have a 300 percent greater chance of dying. Both physical and emotional conditions can be exacerbated when abuse or neglect takes place.
Patients who have memory issues or disabilities may be at a higher-than-average risk of being neglected or abused. People in nursing homes are most vulnerable to receiving treatment that is not sufficient to properly care for their needs. This often happens due to a lack of staffing and may be connected to the facility’s efforts to save money and produce profits. Annual medical costs associated with elder neglect and abuse are said to run oer $5 billion.
If you would like to learn more about the types of risks elderly people face today and what can be done about it, please feel free to visit the nursing home and neglect page of our Alabama personal injury website.
