Once people have reached their “golden years,” they have the hope that the responsibilities of life give way to the enjoyment of the world around them. Unfortunately, old age can bring some medical and logistic complications, such as a reliance on medication for chronic ailments or a lessened ability to use stairs.
Some seniors require home care, while others need full-time care in an assisted living facility. This is very common in Florida, with one of the highest populations of Americans above the age of 65 in the United States. When these arrangements are necessary, top-quality care from professional clinicians and staff can save lives as well as improve them.
Poor care can also cost lives. A 66-year-old woman who was a caregiver to a nearly homebound 89-year-old was arrested recently for suspected abuse of her charge. The local sheriff’s office noted that other home health care workers visited the victim and noticed bruising and lacerations on her arms over three months of care.
The workers contacted an elderly health services bureau to report injuries consistent with elder abuse. The caregiver has been charged with five felony charges, including exploitation and intimidation of disabled adults and false imprisonment, and misdemeanor counts related to the alleged beatings that caused the observed injuries.
The victims of elder abuse in nursing home settings, home care or other situations have the right to claim financial damages related to their experiences, and the survivors of seniors who died in abusive circumstances have the right to claim on their behalf. An attorney can help victims and their survivors determine the best legal path forward to being made whole.
Source: The Moultrie Observer, “Woman accused of elder abuse,” Alan Mauldin, Feb. 22, 2018
