Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

Unfortunately, neglect and abuse of nursing home residents is all too common. In 2001, a Committee of United States Representatives in Congress found that one in three U.S. nursing homes had been cited for abuse over a two-year period. In Oregon, there is a backlog of 1200 complaints against nursing homes. Many of these complaints, once investigated by the State, are likely to reveal neglect, failure to follow safety procedures, medication errors, failure to protect residents from other violent or sexually predatory residents, and abuse.

If You Suspect Abuse or Neglect...

Physical abuse sometimes involves situations where a nursing home resident is intentionally harmed by an employee or staff member of the nursing home or by another resident. Physical abuse can also include neglect of nursing home residents, such as pressure sore formation, failing to prevent falls, medication errors, failing to monitor dangerous residents, malnutrition, dehydration, and infections. Without sufficient staffing, nursing home residents may wander away from the facility and suffer injury or death.

It is important to record all events of suspected abuse or neglect of a loved one in a nursing home. That record should include:

the date
the name of the person involved, and names and addresses of all witnesses
the harm done
the nursing home response

Also, the resident's general care physician should be alerted and if immediate care is needed, the resident should be taken to the closest emergency room. The nursing home should prepare an incident report regarding any injury or incident and include statements from witnesses, an evaluation of the cause of the injury or incident, and if appropriate, a plan to avoid such an injury or incident in the future.

You should also report any suspected abuse or neglect to the local branch office of the State of Oregon's Senior and People with Disabilities Department. An investigator should be assigned to the case and should interview all relevant witnesses. The investigator is required to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.

"I continue to feel support from Don and his firm as if they were my extended Family." -- Susan Dunn, Deer Island, OR

The Corson & Johnson Law Firm serves clients throughout Oregon, including Eugene, Portland, Brownsville, Springfield, Hood River, Brookings, Corvallis, Salem, Redmond, Roseburg, Medford, Klamath Falls, Myrtle Creek, Bend, Albany, Creswell, Ashland, Central Point, Grants Pass, Junction City, Florence, Tigard, Cottage Grove, Coos Bay, North Bend, Newport, Oregon City, Hillsboro, Gresham, Beaverton.

Benton County • Clackamas County • Coos County • Crook County • Deschutes County • Douglas County • Jackson County • Jefferson County • Josephine County • Klamath County • Lane County • Lincoln County • Linn County • Marion County • Multnomah County • Polk County • Tillamook County • Washington County

The Corson & Johnson Law Firm does not offer any guarantee of case results. Past success in litigation does not guarantee success in any new or future civil action. Our web site describes some of the cases that Don Corson or The Corson & Johnson Law Firm has worked on in the past. Our description of those cases is summary in nature. The results obtained in each of the cases depended on the particular facts of each case. The results of other cases will differ based on the different facts involved.

FULL DISCLAIMER

Eugene Oregon Personal Injury Attorneys • Corson & Johnson Law Firm, Don Corson and Lara Johnson, 101 East Broadway Suite 303, Eugene, Oregon 97401 • phone: 541/484-2525, fax: 541/484-2929
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	< BACK TO Nursing Home Neglect Main Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes If You Suspect Abuse and Neglect Unfortunately, neglect and abuse of nursing home residents is all too common. In 2001, a Committee of United States Representatives in Congress found that one in three U.S. nursing homes had been cited for abuse over a two-year period. In Oregon, there is a backlog of 1200 complaints against nursing homes. Many of these complaints, once investigated by the State, are likely to reveal neglect, failure to follow safety procedures, medication errors, failure to protect residents from other violent or sexually predatory residents, and abuse. If You Suspect Abuse or Neglect... Physical abuse sometimes involves situations where a nursing home resident is intentionally harmed by an employee or staff member of the nursing home or by another resident. Physical abuse can also include neglect of nursing home residents, such as pressure sore formation, failing to prevent falls, medication errors, failing to monitor dangerous residents, malnutrition, dehydration, and infections. Without sufficient staffing, nursing home residents may wander away from the facility and suffer injury or death. It is important to record all events of suspected abuse or neglect of a loved one in a nursing home. That record should include: the date the name of the person involved, and names and addresses of all witnesses the harm done the nursing home response Also, the resident's general care physician should be alerted and if immediate care is needed, the resident should be taken to the closest emergency room. The nursing home should prepare an incident report regarding any injury or incident and include statements from witnesses, an evaluation of the cause of the injury or incident, and if appropriate, a plan to avoid such an injury or incident in the future. You should also report any suspected abuse or neglect to the local branch office of the State of Oregon's Senior and People with Disabilities Department. An investigator should be assigned to the case and should interview all relevant witnesses. The investigator is required to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred. "I continue to feel support from Don and his firm as if they were my extended Family." -- Susan Dunn, Deer Island, OR
	The Corson & Johnson Law Firm serves clients throughout Oregon, including Eugene, Portland, Brownsville, Springfield, Hood River, Brookings, Corvallis, Salem, Redmond, Roseburg, Medford, Klamath Falls, Myrtle Creek, Bend, Albany, Creswell, Ashland, Central Point, Grants Pass, Junction City, Florence, Tigard, Cottage Grove, Coos Bay, North Bend, Newport, Oregon City, Hillsboro, Gresham, Beaverton. Benton County • Clackamas County • Coos County • Crook County • Deschutes County • Douglas County • Jackson County • Jefferson County • Josephine County • Klamath County • Lane County • Lincoln County • Linn County • Marion County • Multnomah County • Polk County • Tillamook County • Washington County The Corson & Johnson Law Firm does not offer any guarantee of case results. Past success in litigation does not guarantee success in any new or future civil action. Our web site describes some of the cases that Don Corson or The Corson & Johnson Law Firm has worked on in the past. Our description of those cases is summary in nature. The results obtained in each of the cases depended on the particular facts of each case. The results of other cases will differ based on the different facts involved. FULL DISCLAIMER