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Unfortunately, Texas is one of the worst states in the nation for nursing home and elder abuse. While there are a number of nursing home abuse laws in place designed to implement a higher standard of care for residents living in these facilities, nursing home abuse is on the rise. There are many reasons for this increase in nursing home abuse cases in Texas, including the fact that many individuals who work in long-term care facilities are undertrained. Residents are entitled to proper care and there should never be a reason why they do not receive the care and attention they deserve. Furthermore, any type of abuse – verbal, mental, sexual, or physical, is absolutely not OK.
Over the last several years, Texas has made headlines as a state with one of the highest rates of nursing home abuse in the country. This is the case despite the fact that millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent to help run long-term and memory care facilities. Many within the industry say that the State of Texas is “failing to hold nursing homes accountable for continued neglect.” There has also been an increase in the number of medication errors made in Texas nursing homes, which is one of the most common forms of abuse in these settings.
Texas Struggling with Nursing Home Abuse
According to the AARP, Texas ranked 49th of all states for the quality of care and life of residents within the state’s many nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The report shows that Texas nursing home residents are not being properly cared for and are often left to suffer from a wide range of preventable injuries, such as bed sores and those that occur as the result of slips and falls. Nursing homes are also over prescribing antipsychotic drugs and struggling to meet staff care standards.
It seems there are often stories in the news surrounding nursing home residents facing abuse and neglect. Just last month this story was released about an 84-year-old Houston nursing home resident who was injured following an altercation with another patient. When the incident was reported, and the Texas Health and Human Services was dispatched, there were 12 additional violations found at the facility. This is just one recent example of what nursing home abuse looks like in Texas right now. Not only are caretakers often the abusers, but other residents and trusted individuals. This is why it is so important to be aware of the most common signs of nursing home abuse. Elderly people are at risk of being abused at nursing care facilities and in their own homes, and these cases often go unnoticed or unreported. The only way we are going to stop nursing home abuse cases in Texas is to raise awareness and ensure those responsible are held accountable. Here is a look at some of the common signs of nursing home abuse:
- Unexplained broken bones, dislocations, sprains, or bruises
- Failing to take medications properly
- Broken eyeglasses
- Signs of restraint
- Refusal of the caregiver to leave you alone with the elderly individual
- Unusual behavior
- Stained, bloody, or torn underwear
- Bruising near the genitals or around the breasts
- Vaginal or anal bleeding
- Leaving the elderly person unattended in public
- Not bathing the elderly person or leaving them dirty
- Presence of bed sores
To learn more about nursing home abuse in Texas, please contact Rad Law Firm today. Our experienced Dallas nursing home abuse lawyers are prepared to sit down with you and discuss your case, advising you on how to proceed and what the next steps are.
