Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

The Carlson Law Firm has a core value to protect the most vulnerable populations. Bedsores are a serious condition that can lead to lifelong pain and even death. In fact, bedsores are the underlying cause for the death of several thousand people in the country every year. Our firm employs attorneys who are 100 percent dedicated to fighting for the rights of nursing home patients. A Bedsore Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm will invest our time, legal expertise and resources to recover damages. 

When it comes to burns and fire injuries, elderly are at a far greater risk. Some of the important factors to consider here are a decrease in mobility, hearing, and diminished eyesight. These contribute to a delayed response and could end up costing residents their lives.

The most common manner in which nursing home residents are burned is when they are bathed in scalding water in the nursing home. Regardless of the manner, burns to nursing home residents can be painful, severe, and even life threatening. If a nursing home resident suffers burns it may very well be due to negligence on the part of the nursing home.

The skin on elderly individuals is fragile. In a sense, it is just as fragile and tender as a newborn baby. Consequently, when giving a bath to an elderly nursing home resident, nursing home employees must be cognizant to the vulnerabilities associated with the resident. Sadly, many residents suffer serious burns after being submerged in scalding water.

The skin on elderly individuals is fragile. In a sense, it is just as fragile and tender as a newborn baby. Consequently, when giving a bath to an elderly nursing home resident, nursing home employees must be cognizant to the vulnerabilities associated with the resident. Sadly, many residents suffer serious burns after being submerged in scalding water.

If a resident in a nursing home is hurt by a serious or fatal burn injury because of nursing home abuse or negligence, the resident and their family have the right to seek to hold the facility and its staff accountable for their wrongs. Nursing home lawsuits don’t just help victims of abuse and neglect recover compensation for their damages, but also act to send a message to nursing home and extended care facilities that the law will protect seniors, and see to it that abuse and neglect will be punished.

Burns remain one of the most painful and debilitating type injuries. When burns are caused by the carelessness of others, a nursing home patient is entitled to recover compensation from the facility where the burn occurred. If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse you should take action quickly and contact us to set up a free consultation. Contact The Carlson Law Firm to speak with a nursing home Burn Lawyer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For many people living in a nursing home facility, swallowing food may prove difficult. This means that nursing homes have to monitor or supervise the food intake of its patients. The risk of choking, possibly even death, increase when nursing homes fail to enforce diet restrictions or do not pay close attention to those patients who are susceptible to problems with choking.

Nursing home residents often have medical problems or take medications that make it difficult to properly chew or swallow food. Due to this, many are at high risk for choking.

The reason that many elderly and disabled patients have problems swallowing is varied. There 50 pairs of muscles and nerves involved when it comes to swallowing food, there are many conditions that may influence whether that patient is able to swallow or not. Some of the most common disorders include:

• Neurological Disorders – Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis may all influence the ability to swallow.
• Neurological Damage – If a person has suffered spinal or brain injuries or has suffered a stroke, it may affect his or her ability to swallow.
• Cancer – There are types of cancer that may affect the patient’s ability to swallow. The radiation treatment may also play a role here.
• Alzheimer’s Disease – Alzheimer’s patients in the later stages of the disease may find it difficult to swallow and eat.
• Aging – Considering it takes 50 pairs of muscles and nerves to swallow, it is not surprising that wear and tear on the throat muscles can make it difficult to swallow for older patients.

Choking, by depriving oxygen to the brain, can cause brain damage, and even death. While such an injury may appear to be accidental, in some instances choking is a result of nursing home neglect. When this is the case, it is important that nursing homes are held accountable for their fatal mistakes.

If the choking occurred because the patient was fed the wrong food or was not properly monitored, it is the fault of the nursing home, and your loved one may have a nursing home abuse lawsuit.

It is standard for those patients who have trouble swallowing in a nursing home setting to be examined by a physician in order to determine the severity of the problem. From there the physician can make recommendations on what the patient should and should not eat and in which forms. It is important that this advice be placed on the nursing home patient’s chart; these special needs need to be known to all caregivers who interact with the patient. When not monitored closely or if the patient receives medication or food that goes against what the physician recommended, it may lead to choking and asphyxiation.

If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse you should take action quickly and contact us to set up a free consultation. We are available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

When nursing homes fail to implement proper precautions to address a resident’s risk for falls, and the resident is injured, family members should take action. Although some falls are unavoidable, oftentimes falls in nursing homes are a sign of nursing home negligence. We have handled many cases where residents have suffered serious injuries as a result of under-staffing in long-term care facilities. When staff cannot properly supervise monitor residents, fall-related injuries are more likely to occur.

Nursing home staff plays an important role in protecting the safety of residents as they move about the facility. When a patient is admitted into a nursing home, staff must assess his or her risks for falls and identify and implement interventions to address these risks. Reassessments should occur after any fall or change in medical condition. Residents at risk should be monitored closely and receive assistance with transfers to prevent them from falling. Bed rails, non-skid footwear, appropriate armchair with wheels locked at the bedside, walkers and canes can be used to help prevent falls.

If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse you should take action quickly and contact us to set up a free consultation. Our Nursing Home Fall Lawyers are available, 7 days a week.

Maintaining appropriate nutritional and hydration status is important in the nursing home setting. Residents who do not receive adequate nutrition and hydration in their diets are more at risk for the development of pressure ulcers, infection, muscle weakness leading to immobility and falls and poor nutrition and hydration make it more difficult for existing pressure ulcers and infections to heal.

The elderly have less water content in their bodies than younger adults and a decreased thirst response which, among other factors, puts them at risk for dehydration. Increasing fluid intake in the elderly is important and relatively simple. The nursing home should monitor the resident’s fluid intake and ensure that the resident drinks at least six cups of fluid each day. Fruit juices, popsicles and gelatin are excellent sources of fluid which help residents maintain appropriate hydration.

There are a variety of factors which can lead to malnutrition. Depression, an increasing problem among the elderly, is a potential cause of malnutrition because individuals suffering from depression have a tendency to eat less and in turn do not receive appropriate vitamins and minerals to prevent malnutrition. Other causes of malnutrition include difficulty swallowing and adverse drug effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. Nursing homes often fail to take steps to prevent malnutrition by not monitoring resident food intake and output, not providing a comfortable environment to promote eating and not providing food that is appetizing.

Sometimes changes can be subtle and if you visit your loved one every day, you may not notice gradual changes. In addition to periodically doing a thorough examination of your loved one for bruises and wounds, you should check them for signs of dehydration and malnutrition.

Common Signs of Dehydration

• Thirst
• Darker and more concentrated urine
• Fatigue
• Decreased urine output
• Light headedness / dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea and vomiting

Common Signs of Malnutrition

• Significant weight loss
• Fatigue
• Light headedness/dizziness

Residents in nursing homes are especially vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse. Tragically, reports of deliberate physical abuse, such as hitting, slapping, biting and attacks by other residents and even staff members are all too common. Nursing home residents are also victims of sexual assault in nursing homes.

The physical abuse of a nursing home resident can take on many forms, including beatings, biting, food or water deprivation, the inappropriate use of restraints, as well as over-medicating patients to keep them quiet, docile and easier to control. In some instances, physical abuse may manifest itself obviously in bruises, broken bones or cuts. Other times, physical abuse may not be as obvious.

Elder abuse is fairly straightforward. It is defined as intentionally acting in a way that results in the harm or risk of harm to an elderly person. You may not always know when your loved one has been physically assaulted in a nursing home setting. For example, patients with dementia or other medical conditions may be unable to tell someone what happened to them. Other times, victims fear that the perpetrator will beat or injure them again if they speak up. Sometimes, generational ideas like being seen as a burden or a problem for others can hinder a victim of nursing home physical and sexual abuse from speaking up.

The physical abuse of a nursing home resident can take on many forms, including:

• Beatings, including slaps, punches, hitting with objects, kicks
• Threats involving guns, knives or other weapons
• Biting
• Food or water deprivation
• Inappropriate use of restraints
• Use of over-medicating patients to keep them quiet
• Docile and easier to control

In some instances, physical abuse may manifest itself obviously in bruises, broken bones or cuts. Other times, physical abuse may not be as obvious.

Elder sexual abuse is the initiation of physical or sexual contact with an elderly person. In these cases, the contact is usually non-consensual or unwanted. This includes sexual contact with an elderly person who is confused or unable to give consent. Unwanted touching or rape are examples of nursing home sexual abuse.

Types of nursing home sexual abuse include:

• Unwanted touching
• Sexual assault and battery
• Sexual assault and battery
• Forced nudity
• Sexual photography
• Rape

Because elder abuse is a growing problem, lawyers are finding themselves in the position to represent unsuspecting families. Nursing home physical abuse and nursing home sexual abuse can leave you questioning if you failed in protecting your loved one. You didn’t. It is an unfortunate reality that no amount of research or recommendations on a long-term care facility or nursing home can prevent your loved one from being abused or fatally injured. We believe we have a duty to protect our most vulnerable populations. By contacting The Carlson Law Firm, you are doing more than seeking compensation—you are seeking justice. Together, we can help improve the conditions of nursing homes across the country. Our firm has a nursing home physical abuse attorney that can help you prove that the nursing home you trusted physically abused and assaulted your loved one. We can help you get justice.

If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse you should take action quickly and contact us to set up a free consultation. Someone from our team is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Medical staff uses endotracheal tubes, or breathing tubes, to open a patient’s airway and increase oxygen intake. The tubes are usually attached to ventilators, or breathing machines, to keep oxygen intake consistent. If a nursing home doctor, nurse or other staff member fails to properly insert or monitor the tube, serious suffocation and choking risks can arise.

If your loved one experiences breathing difficulties due to medical conditions such as pneumonia, asthma or COPD, he or she may require the occasional short-term use of breathing tubes and ventilators. Even if your loved one does not have one of these conditions, staff may need to insert a breathing tube into his or her trachea, or wind pipe, for one of the following reasons:

• To increase the amount of oxygen your loved one takes in
• To clear mucus out of your loved one’s lungs
• To keep your loved one’s wind pipe open

If your loved one continues to experience breathing difficulties, his or her care staff may choose to remove the breathing tube and perform a tracheotomy. This procedure involves creating a small hole in the neck that will keep the airway open.

Food can enter the tube from either end. Saliva or phlegm may also find its way in. Under normal care and supervision, staff would remove any obstruction and no harm would occur to your loved one. However, in situations where a nursing home is understaffed or the existing staff is negligent, either by design or through improper training, these obstructions can lead to oxygen deprivation or cardiac arrest. Severe clogged breathing tube cases lead to permanent brain damage, early mortality and even death.

Clogged breathing tubes, similar to choking, can cause brain damage, and even death because the brain is deprived of oxygen.

While such an injury may appear to be accidental, nursing homes can be held accountable. If the choking occurred because the patient was not properly monitored and this led to a clogged breathing tube, it is the fault of the nursing home, and your loved one may have a nursing home abuse case.

Maladministration of medicine and medication errors are frequent and serious problems at nursing homes. Residents are given the wrong medication or not given the medication in the dosage or frequency as required by the physician’s order. This occurs as a result of carelessness on the part of the staff, lack of supervision of the nurses administering the medications or not having enough properly trained and supervised to staff to administer the medications.

Studies have shown delayed or missed treatment or medication and the administration of the wrong dose or the wrong medication are the two most common medical mistakes made in the hospital setting. Studies also show that nursing home medication error occurrences are widely under reported. It is estimated that only 1.5% of all medication errors are actually reported.

Nursing home and medication error risks can be considerable because many patients are on a number of prescriptions and have already compromised physical health conditions. These risks are also exacerbated by the fact that nursing homes are often understaffed. If medication error causes injury to a resident, they have the right to seek compensation for their losses.

To the untrained eye, it may be difficult to determine whether something qualifies as a medication error. However, once you have a better understanding of what constitutes a medication error, it is easier to be aware of them.

• Splitting medications that should not be split – These include tablets, capsules, or other types of medication that specifically say, “Do not crush.”
• Not having enough fluid – There are countless prescription medications that require the elderly patient to consume a certain amount of fluid when ingesting the medication. Improper hydration or not taking in fluid when taking the medication may actually cause harm to the patient.
• Inadequate antacids or food – Just as some prescriptions require fluid, others require food. There are also medications that require the patient to take an antacid before ingesting the medication. It is important that the nursing staff ensure that patients follow the recommended guidelines regarding antacids, fluids, and food.
• Not preparing the medication properly – There are a number of nursing home medications that require that it be shaken or mixed before the patient takes it. Without following the proper procedure, the resident is at risk of receiving too much or too little of the medication. For example, it is important to mix insulin suspensions without air bubbles before administering the medication.
• Swallowing sublingual tablets – Sublingual tablets are administered by placing them underneath the tongue and allowing them to dissolve. However, some elderly patients will swallow these sublingual tablets instead. While once or twice might not be terrible, it is important that the staff recognize this is happening and address this as a reoccurring issue. Perhaps the medication needs to be altered to ensure proper ingestion.

The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 gave all nursing home residents the right to be free from restraints when the restraints are used for disciplinary purposes or for the convenience of the nursing home corporation. Restraints can be either chemical (i.e., medication designed to make the resident passive) or physical. Regardless of the type of restraint sought, they must be ordered by a doctor. Restraints used without a physician’s order are illegal.

Chemical restraints are usually antipsychotic drugs that are used by the nursing home to control individuals who suffer from dementia or anxiety. For a nursing home focused primarily on reducing its budget and operating on minimal staff, chemically restrained residents are easier to control and require less care than active residents. In fact, staffing shortages are a leading culprit in explaining why some nursing homes choose to restrain residents.

A physical restraint is usually a device placed next to or around a resident to limit or eliminate movement by the resident. One of the most common examples of a physical restraint is the side rail on the bed. Designed to prevent a resident from falling out of bed, side rails can sometimes do more harm than good. Some of the most common injuries with side rails are falls when an unmonitored resident attempts to crawl over the side rail or asphyxiation when a resident becomes entrapped between the mattress and the side rail. Nursing homes are supposed to evaluate residents for these known dangers and supervise accordingly. When they choose not to, the resident is at great risk for serious injury or death.

Physical restraints restrict an individual’s movement in some way. Physical restraints commonly used in nursing homes include:

• Wrist and ankle restraints
• Hand mitts
• Bed rails
• Vests tied to beds or chairs

In nursing homes, psychoactive drugs are the most common types of chemical restraints given to residents who are uncooperative or restless. Using these types of drugs in such an unethical manner can have devastating consequences. Because of chemical restraints, the patient may do any of the following:

• Become confused
• Become disoriented
• Be unable to carry out the tasks of daily living
• Become agitated
• Experience an overall decrease in quality of life

Although you will not be able to monitor the actions of nursing home staff around the clock to ensure that they are, in fact, properly using restraints, knowing the signs of improper use of restraints can help you identify when or if your loved one may be the victim of nursing home abuse. Some indications of the improper use of restraints can include:

• Physical injuries, such as bedsores or wrist and/or ankle damage
• Diminished mental capacity, such as disorientation, depression or an inability to process thoughts, when chemical restraints are being used.

Sepsis is a severe infection caused by bacteria in the tissue or blood stream. Properly treated, an infection is usually localized and curable. When left untreated, a minor infection can increase in intensity and scope to the point where the entire body suffers from a systemic severe infection. At this point, the infection is often referred to as sepsis or septicemia and is life-threatening.

Persons with this infection may experience fever, chills, loss of appetite, rapid breathing and irregular heartbeat. Many times, sepsis develops at the same time as infection in another part of the body, such as a respiratory, skin, or gastrointestinal infection. Sepsis may also coincide with or precede meningitis, an infection of the central nervous system. In severe cases, the infection can lead to infections of the brain and the heart, and subsequent death.

The skin is one of the main sites of infection. Normally, the skin serves as a barrier against all manner of viral and bacterial threats, but any cut or other open wound can allow a bacterial infection that can cause sepsis to develop. These include surgical sites, points of entry for intravenous lines, and sites of skin breakdown such as decubitus ulcers or bedsores.

Prevention can in part include monitoring the skin for the development of bedsores, and taking steps to prevent bedsores from developing. If sepsis develops in a patient who was improperly monitored or treated, the medical professionals in charge of administering care may be held liable.

This illness can kill patients who otherwise might have recovered fully from their original injuries or illnesses.

Wandering and Elopement are related concepts. Wandering refers to aimless movement throughout the facility where the resident puts his safety at risk due to an inability to appreciate danger. Elopement refers to the resident’s ability to leave the facility unsupervised and unnoticed putting the resident’s safety in danger.

Nursing homes are required to assess each resident to determine their risk for wondering. If the risk is there, the facility is to initiate a plan of care specifically designed to care for the residents at high risk for wandering and elopement.

Some aspects to such care plans include:

• To consistently monitor doors—especially during shift changes where residents are particularly inclined to wander
• Place residents that have been characterized “at risk” for wandering closer to nursing stations so that they can be more closely monitored
• Using alarms on the resident’s bed, wheelchair or door as well as the residents themselves
• Exit doors should be alarmed to notify staff when residents leave the facility

Nursing homes must acknowledge the risks associated with patient wandering and elopement and take steps to minimize incidents from occurring in the first place. When facilities fail to implement preventative measures, they may be held responsible for the resulting patient injuries. Our nursing home attorneys know the feeling of guilt that may arise after a loved one suffers an injury at a facility and always take steps to minimize the impact on you and the rest of your family while aggressively pursuing the case. If your loved one was injured after leaving the safety of a skilled nursing facility, we are interested in speaking to you. Our attorneys know how to prosecute nursing home wandering cases and look forward to doing so for you. Call us anytime to discuss your legal options.

Wrongful death occurs when the negligence or carelessness of one person causes the death of another. The Carlson Law Firm has extensive experience in handling wrongful death cases associated with medical malpractice and nursing home abuse and neglect.

Nursing home residents almost always require the care of professionals for daily living needs, medical needs, or cognitive needs, which is why they are in nursing homes in the first place. However, when wrongful death occurs, it happens in the very hands of the professionals who were entrusted to take care of these elderly residents. This can result from a variety of issues, and the underlying problem behind the majority of issues is nursing home abuse and neglect.

The laws on who can bring a wrongful death claim vary from state to state. In some cases, the wrongful death claim belongs to the surviving immediate family members. Other states require that an Estate be opened in the name of the deceased individual. Either way, having an attorney experienced in preparing and pursuing wrongful death cases is crucial.

Survival statutes can give family members peace of mind in standing up for the legal rights of a loved one after death. Through a wrongful death statute, a cause of action survives the life of a deceased person. This means that if your loved one experienced neglect or abuse in a nursing home and later died, then you can still file a nursing home wrongful death lawsuit after the death of your loved one. Surviving family members can recover compensation that can be used to pay for outstanding medical bills and funeral expenses. In some cases, economic damages or damages for loss of companionship may also be available. Each state has its own Wrongful Death statute that specifies the total amount of damages that may be awarded to family members after the death of a loved one.

Assisted living is a hybrid between a retirement community and a nursing home. These facilities provide care for elderly people—or young people living with disabilities—who are unable to live independently but do not require the same level of care found in nursing homes. While the standard of care may be different than it is in a nursing home, many of the residents in assisted living facilities still suffer from certain health conditions that can impair both their physical and cognitive abilities to care for themselves. Assisted living negligence is a very serious risk to the well-being of those in need of the care these facilities have to offer. These facilities are required to ensure a resident’s quality of life doesn’t suffer. If you believe your loved one may be experiencing abuse or neglect, contact an Assisted Living Facility Negligence Attorney from The Carlson Law Firm.

The Carlson Law Firm has more than 40 years of experience representing victims and their families through the aftermath of personal injuries. Our compassionate attorneys understand that any form of neglect or abuse in assisted living facilities may be difficult for family members and loved ones to face. But the fight for justice has never been an easy one. Our legal team has some of the leading legal experts in elderly care neglect. You have the power to hold negligent parties responsible and prevent others from suffering in the same way your loved one has.

Residents of assisted living facilities are still vulnerable to the same of abuse and neglect as those who are more dependent on nursing home care. These facilities often don’t receive the level of scrutiny that nursing homes do. But seniors and other dependents in these facilities are still at risk of experience abuse, neglect, and negligence.

Assisted living facility negligence and abuse can take form in several ways:

Physical abuse 

Occurs when there is harmful contact such as slapping, hitting, pushing or kicking. This form of abuse also includes excessive or improper use of restraints. In some cases, it may take form as the withholding of food or forcing a resident to consume food or drinks.

Psychological abuse

This type of abuse occurs when there is verbal assault, harassment, bullying, humiliating or degrading treatment of a resident. Giving a resident the silent treatment, or denying the resident of communication as a punishment is also a type of psychological abuse.

Isolation

Preventing or restricting visits from family and friends or preventing contact by telephone, mail, email or other means that isolates a resident from a loved one is abuse.

Neglect

Neglect is tricky to recognize. This is because it often doesn’t occur with malicious intent, but rather occurs as a result of understaffing. In other cases, it may occur as a result of staff indifference to the well-being of residents. Signs of neglect include unsanitary living quarters, dehydration, malnourishment or immobile injuries such as rashes and sores.

Financial exploitation

This type of elder abuse is often the subject of tabloid headlines or the plotlines of movies when a will is changed to exclude children in favor of a new spouse. However, taking financial advantage of a person can happen in any income threshold. Financial exploitation may occur when checks, money or property are stolen or their belongings such as vehicles are used without permission. Financial exploitation can worsen a person’s condition by leading to bills going unpaid.

These abuses may not just be carried out by staff, but also by other residents and even family members. They cause significant harm to seniors. Assisted living negligence that is allowed to persist is a violation of your loved one’s rights. Contact a qualified Assisted Living Facility Negligence Attorney to discuss your situation. You may be able to recover financial compensation.

Often, loved ones suffering abuse in these facilities are scared to come forward with the abuse or neglect they are experiencing. They may be ashamed or fear that the offender may retaliate in some way. Because of this, family members and loved ones must know what to look for when their loved ones are in an assisted living facility. The types of signs to look out for include the following:

• Broken bones or fractures
• Unexplained weight loss
• Bruising, cuts or welts
• Bedsores
• Frequent infections
• Dehydration
• Mood swings
• Emotional Outbursts
• Reclusiveness
• Refused to Speak
• Refused to eat
• Unexplained weight loss
• Refusal to take medications
• Poor physical appearance
• Lack of cleanliness
• Changes in mental status
• Caregivers do not want the patient left alone with others
• Noticeably strained relationships with others in the facility
• Sudden death

In the longterm care industry, negligence can often lead to serious health conditions. Neglect can open the door to several reasons to file a lawsuit, including a wrongful death lawsuit. If you spot any of the signs, you must take immediate action.

One of the biggest reasons neglect occurs in longterm care facilities is because of understaffing. As a result, some elderly residents end up being neglected. Understaffing can lead to significant oversight in a person’s care. For example, residents may not receive:

• Appropriate medication
• Scheduled meals
• Medical care

To combat understaffing, longterm care facilities may hire inexperienced staff that may not be as diligent in caring for residents.

Further, elderly citizens are entitled to living with dignity and respect. If your loved one is being treated unjustly in an assisted living facility, contact an Assisted Living Facility Attorney from The Carlson Law Firm to discuss your options.

Finding out or suspecting your loved one is being abused or neglected is your worst nightmare. No one would ever put their loved one into a facility that would lead to their suffering. The awful headlines splashed across newspapers and evening news already make many people hesitant to put their loved ones in any facility. However, there are times when you don’t have the time or know-how to care for your loved one truly.

Above, we’ve discussed the warning signs to watch out for while your loved one is in the care of an assisted living facility. But it’s also crucial that you know what to do if you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected. Seniors have a right to be from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Protect your loved one by doing the following:

• Call and visit often
• Offer to stay and help on a regular basis to ensure your loved one is receiving proper treatment
• Monitor your loved one’s medication
• Keep an eye on their finances
• Identify warning signs of abuse or neglect

If you suspect that abuse or neglect is occurring, consider the following actions to protect your loved one: 

• If your loved one is in immediate danger of physical or mental abuse, contact your local police department. Elder abuse and neglect are criminal matters that fall under police jurisdiction.
• Call your state’s governing body over nursing homes or assisted living facilities to report incidences of abuse or neglect. In Texas, this is the Department of State Health Services.
• If the victim receives Medicaid, report the longterm care facility to your state’s governing authority on fraud, waste and abuse. Or you can report it to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General.
• Hold the facility accountable by contacting a qualifed Assisted Living Facility Negligence Attorney. 

Ultimately, the best way to protect your loved one is to speak up. In most states, if you are aware of a specific act of elder abuse, the law requires that you report it.