Category: Nursing Home Neglect

Aug 26, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

Her identity was concealed, but she hoped to bring the truth to light. Reporters at WKRG News 5 in Mobile interviewed a nursing home staffer recently who revealed the too-often silent horrors of the industry, including patients with infected bed sores so severe their tailbones were exposed. Though the account was given anonymously, our Birmingham nursing home neglect lawyers have learned that a new report lends credence to these tales of woe, with Alabama earning a state grade ranking of “D” when it comes to quality of nursing home care.

Jan 25, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

Birmingham nursing home abuse lawyers know how difficult it is for family members to choose the right assisted living facility for their loved one.  For most, it’s uncharted territory and the concerns are amplified by the fact that you’ve heard all the horror stories. But it can be tough to get straight answers about a facility’s track record. Even once you’ve decided on a facility, keeping tabs on its performance can prove convoluted at best. Now, there is a new tool. News organization ProPublica has launched a data-driven site that provides updated information regarding nursing homes in Alabama and throughout the country. Each facility is documented, the serious deficiencies calculated and rated (with detailed reports attached) and information about fines and penalties tabulated as well.

Jan 15, 2013 - Nursing Home Neglect by Cross & Smith

An alarming report released recently by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of the dangers of adult bedrails – the metal bars fitted onto beds to keep people from falling out.  As our Tuscaloosa nursing home neglect lawyers have learned, these devices have reportedly been on the radar of federal regulators since at least 1995. Since that time, some 550 people have died after becoming stuck or strangled in the rails, and another 4,000 a year have had to be rushed to the emergency room for injuries. Despite the human toll, the federal government has been reticent to take any action at all, according to reporting from The New York Times.

Dec 15, 2012 - Nursing Home Neglect by Cross & Smith

If you have elderly family members or friends in a nursing home, there’s a good chance that you will be paying them a visit over the holidays. While you are enjoying each other’s company and having a festive celebration, the visit should also give you a chance to talk to your loved one and to observe his or her behavior. Carefully observe the condition of the home and other residents. Our Tuscaloosa nursing home abuse attorneys have discussed the subject of nursing home abuse before, including last month when we wrote about the tragic death of a 94-year-old-woman killed in an Alabama nursing home fire drill. We want to urge you to take extra care this holiday season to ensure our elderly loved ones are treated with the care and respect they deserve. According to a 2011 article in The News Courier, adult protective services referred 5,312 possible abuse cases to the Department of Human Resources for investigation in the prior year. In the majority of abuse situations investigated, the alleged abuse was directed at a person aged 75 to 84. Although 5,312 abuse cases is a staggering number, these investigations may reflect only a small portion of the abuse that is actually occurring. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that anywhere between 1 and 2 million seniors age 65 and older throughout the U.S. are abused but that many cases of abuse go unreported since the elderly aren’t able to speak up for themselves or to get the […]

Oct 8, 2012 - Nursing Home Neglect by Cross & Smith

Supporters contend passage of the Sept. 18 trust fund amendment (65 percent to 35 percent), will provide more resources for nursing home care, thereby reducing the risk of abuse or neglect in Alabama nursing homes. The Montgomery Advertiser reported the amendment was heavily lobbied for by the Alabama Nursing Home Association. Passage means nearly $500 million will be taken from the Alabama Trust Fund and placed in the General Fund over the course of the next three years.  Without the increased funding, drastic cuts to Alabama’s Medicaid program would have had severe implications for the two-thirds of Alabama nursing home residents who rely upon those funds for care. What we’ll do in three years when those funds are exhausted is less clear. But nursing home funding will most assuredly become an issue of increasing importance in coming years, with the retirement of the baby boom generation. An estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers are retiring every day. The 2010 Census reported a 15 percent increase in the senior population over the last decade. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging reports the number of seniors in Alabama is expected to nearly double between 2000 and 2030, from 770,000 to more than 1.3 million.