Signs of Nursing Home Victim Abuse and Neglect That Will Alert Investigation Under the Illinois Nursing Home Act
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act forbids the abuse of a nursing home resident. Boris Parad provides victims' relatives with a list of tell-tale signs there may be abuse.
Skokie, IL (PRWEB) January 8 2004—-Because many nursing home residents have
limited abilities to communicate, identifying potential abuse requires careful
monitoring. Boris Parad advises clients to look for the signs of nursing home
abuse in their frequent visits to the nursing home or assisted living facility.
Some of the more common types of physical abuse and neglect include:
• Assault
• Battery
• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Battery
• Rape
• Unreasonable physical
restraint
• Prolonged or continual deprivation of food or
water
• Use of a physical or chemical restraint or
psychotropic medication for any purpose not consistent with that authorized by
the physician
• Not giving needed medication
• Unexplained injuries
• Caretaker
cannot adequately explain condition
• Open wounds, cuts,
bruises or welts
• Reports of being slapped or mistreated
• Slapping, pushing, shaking, beating
• Forcing an older person to stay in a room
Nursing
home abuse or negligence is demonstrated by:
• Injuries
requiring emergency treatment or hospitalization
• Any
incident involving broken bones, such hip, arm or knee fractures
• Any injury or death occurring during or shortly after an
episode of wandering (including outside the facility) when the staff is not
aware that the resident is missing for some period of time
• Heavy medication or sedation
•
Rapid weight loss or weight gain without physician or family notification and a
change in treatment being provided
• Unexplained or
unexpected death of the resident
• One nursing home
resident injures another resident
• Resident is frequently
ill, and the illnesses are not promptly reported to the physician and family
Deviations from standards of care, or any act of negligence resulting in
injury to a nursing home resident, amount to patient neglect in violation of the
Nursing Home Care Act. The Department of Health conducts investigations and its
records show the citations of the homes for violating the administrative code
requirement that all necessary precautions should be made to assure safety of
residents at all times. Under the Nursing Home Care Act, the victim may recover
compensatory damages and attorney’s fees on proof of the home’s negligence, and
common law punitive damages on proof of the home’s willful and wanton, or
grossly negligent, or intentional misconduct.
Boris Parad represents
victims in nursing home injury cases on a contingency fee (a percentage of
recovery) basis rather than on an hourly basis. He states, “The law protects our
aged and infirm relatives and friends suffering in nursing homes as a result of
the staff’s abuse and neglect.” Boris Parad has litigated cases in both federal
and state courts in Illinois, Colorado, Michigan and argued cases in the
Illinois appellate courts. His background and the firm’s services are described
at www.ParadFirm.com or he can be reached directly at e-mail
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/1/prweb97827.htm