In the United States, the issues surrounding elder care are beginning to garner more attention as more people reach the age and the state of health where they need some form of help. That help can come by way of in-home nursing care providers or by moving into an assisted living facility or a nursing home. We have seen shocking recent studies regarding the number of cases of abuse that are never reported as well as studies showing that billions of dollars are taken from seniors across the United States on an annual basis. This appears to be a problem that is getting worse instead of better, but part of that perspective could be that we are learning more about this problem. It seems that people in the United Kingdom are already well aware of the risks of moving into a nursing home, as a large number of people involved in a study there have stated that fear of abuse or other types of poor treatment is the biggest reason that they would refuse to move into this type of a living arrangement.
According to the study, which was done by a group known as the Commission on Residential Care that is analyzing the issue as a whole, the following responses were provided to questions involving the possibility that people would move into a nursing home:
- 4 out of 10 respondents stated that they would simply refuse to accept this type of a living arrangement.
- One-third of those people stated that their biggest concern with regards to this type of move would be the potential necessity of selling their homes to pay for the costs.
- Half of the respondents stated that they would refuse this living arrangement because they would be fearful of enduring abuse or neglect.
These are obviously concerning responses and percentages, but they should at least provide a glimmer of positivity in that people seem to be generally aware of the problems that can arise when they move into nursing homes. While this study was done in the United Kingdom and not in the United States, we have seen many parallels in terms of the problems relating to elder care across national boundaries. Therefore, it's possible that people in the United States have the same level of concern about what can happen to them if they encounter the need for ongoing and daily care.
Fortunately, there are things that can be done to minimize the chance that mistreatment will occur. One of those efforts needs to be made by family members of someone who moves into a nursing home. They need to be very watchful of what could be happening to their loved one and they need to immediately act on any suspicions that arise. Those in this area who have been mistreated can also protect their rights by obtaining the help of Las Vegas nursing home abuse lawyers who can hold those responsible for this conduct accountable. If this has happened to you or to someone you love, contact High Stakes Injury Law today to schedule a free initial consultation.