If you have had to make the tough decision to put your loved one in a nursing home, then you know how difficult it can be to find a place you can trust. You want to make sure that your loved one is well looked after, but we know that nursing home abuse and neglect occur. Today, the Kansas City nursing home abuse attorneys at Townsend Law LLC want to discuss a new federal measure that allows everyone to see which nursing homes have been cited for cases of abuse and neglect.
A new tool for discovering abuse
Families who are researching the best facilities to place their loved ones now have a new tool at their disposal. A federal government website is making is known which nursing homes have been cited for abuse and neglect. The Medicare website has a Nursing Home Compare page that allows users to put in the location they are looking for a home in and see a list of all facilities in the area.
Users might see a red sign with a white hand in the middle of it next to some of the nursing homes. This symbol signifies that
- The facility has been cited for instances of abuse that directly led to resident harm over the last year.
- The facility was cited for instances that could have led to resident harm over the previous two years.
Officials will update the site monthly and remove the icons if the facility has resolved the issues of abuse or neglect that were cited.
This is an important step toward transparency when it comes to nursing homes. Along with the warnings, users will be able to see an overall rating of the nursing home as well as any staffing issues the facility has had.
Elder abuse is vastly underreported in the US, and it often takes place in nursing homes. Abuse takes many forms, including:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional and psychological abuse
- Neglect
- Financial abuse
- Failing to call emergency services
If you discover that your loved one is being abused or neglected, call the police. Then report the incident to Missouri officials so they can investigate your allegations. Elder abuse is a crime, and your loved one could be entitled to compensation.
Let us help you through this
If your loved one has been injured or become ill due to abuse or neglect in a nursing home, please seek legal assistance immediately. At Townsend Law LLC, you can count on our skilled and experienced team to get to work on your case so we can secure the following:
- Coverage for medical expenses related to the abuse
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Relocation expenses or the cost of staying at the facility
- Punitive damages against those responsible
If you need a Kansas City nursing home abuse attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by calling us at 833-869-6529.