When an elderly loved one’s medical needs exceed the family’s ability to provide essential care, they seek the best possible nursing home to entrust with their loved one. Nursing home administrators make promising reassurances and present glossy brochures, but sadly, they do not always live up to their legal duty of care. Discovering that a nursing home allowed harm to come to your vulnerable loved one is devasting. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of nursing home abuse cases are reported each year in the United States. If you suspect neglect or abuse, a Phoenix nursing home abuse lawyer can help you seek justice and hold negligent facilities accountable.
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How To Report A Nursing Home to the State of Arizona?
What Are Reportable Offenses In Arizona Nursing Homes?
Suspecting that something is wrong with an aging loved one’s care in a nursing home is alarming and requires investigation. Often, this begins with having a thorough medical evaluation performed on the elderly resident to determine if they’ve suffered physical harm from abuse or neglect. Reportable offenses in Arizona nursing homes include:
- Abuse or mistreatment
- Neglect
- Financial exploitation
- Property misappropriation (theft or unauthorized lending of a resident’s belongings)
- Unexplainable injuries
When there is reasonable suspicion of a violation of an elderly nursing home resident’s right to competent, compassionate care, it’s essential to report the suspected offense so officials can properly investigate.
Statistics on Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Nursing homes in Arizona and elsewhere are chronically understaffed, resulting in overwhelmed caregivers with unrealistic staff-to-resident ratios. Having stressed and tired caregivers creates a stressful or hostile work environment with a higher chance of neglected or abused residents. The following statistics on nursing home abuse in the United States are alarming:
- The National Council on Aging reports that five million elder Americans suffer abuse each year, with hundreds of thousands of those abuse cases occurring in nursing homes
- Sexual abuse in nursing homes is the least-reported type of abuse, reported by 1.9% of nursing home residents, but it is believed to be widely underreported
- Women are more likely to experience abuse in nursing homes than male residents, with 64% of nursing home abuse cases occurring to women
- Nursing home residents with alzheimers or other cognitive impairments are more likely to experience abuse in nursing homes than other residents
- Those of lower socio-economic status, such as residents on Medicaid, are more commonly neglected or abused than others
- In a survey of 577 nursing home caregivers, 81% of staff members reported witnessing emotional abuse to residents by other caregivers, while 40% admitted to committing acts of emotional abuse
- In a survey of 452 families of nursing home residents, nearly 25% reported at least one instance of physical abuse occurring to their elderly family member
Over 600,000 elders were treated for non-fatal assaults in emergency rooms between 2002 and 2016.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
Although we’d like to expect all nursing homes to live up to their promises of high-quality care, it’s important to remain watchful and alert to signs of neglect or abuse when we visit an elderly loved one so we can quickly take action to report the violation and protect all residents in the facility. Common signs of nursing home abuse, neglect, or mistreatment include the following:
- Unexplained injuries
- Sudden loss of weight
- Poor hygiene or unkept appearance
- Dry, cracked skin and lips
- Torn, bloody, or dirty clothing or bed sheets
- Untreated or infected bedsores
- Broken personal items like dentures or glasses
- Medication mistakes
- Bruising or bleeding from or around private parts
- Social withdrawal
- Personality changes
- Reluctance to speak in front of caregivers
- Uneaten meals remaining in the room
- Unexplained financial transactions
The above signs are common indicators of nursing home physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and financial abuse, all of which are reportable offenses in Arizona. Nursing home abuse also leaves the nursing home administrators open to criminal charges and liable for the victim’s damages. Common damages awarded to injury victims or their families include compensation for medical expenses, a family member’s lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and wrongful death benefits to surviving family members.
Reporting Arizona Nursing Homes for Suspected Abuse or Neglect
Nursing home residents have a right to skilled care with respect for their human dignity. Arizona has robust protections in place for vulnerable nursing home residents. When family members suspect that a loved one has suffered from any form of abuse or neglect, the state offers multiple means of reporting the nursing home to the appropriate entities. The following contact information makes reporting a problem easy so you can achieve prompt results:
- Report to Adult Protective Services at 1-877-SOS-Adult (1-877-767-2385) or through their online portal
- Report nursing home abuse to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) at 602-364-2536 or in person at the office located at 150 North 18th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
Some national hotlines also connect family members of abuse victims to local resources, such as the National Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-677-1116 or the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) Hotline at 1-855-500-3537.
There were over 37,000 reports of nursing home abuse in Arizona in 2023. About 2,500 of the Arizona nursing home abuse reports came from other caregivers or nursing home staff, while the remainder were reports made by family members and friends of the abused or mistreated residents.
What Happens After Reporting Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect In Arizona?
When reporting nursing home abuse to Adult Protective Services in Arizona, it’s important to be prepared by having information such as the description of the abuse, the date or approximate date the abuse occurred, and the name of specific suspected perpetrators. APS then works together with local law enforcement to investigate the alleged abuse by visiting the facility and interviewing staff members, administrators, and eyewitnesses. After a thorough investigation, law enforcement makes a decision on whether the occurrence or occurrences constitute criminal behavior, which may result in an arrest.
At the end of an investigation, APS sends a letter with its findings to the person who reported the abuse.
Under House Bill 2764, Arizona implemented enhanced regulations for the Arizona Department of Health services to implement higher standards and increased oversight to ensure Arizona nursing home residents receive the best possible care.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, taking legal action can help protect your loved one and hold negligent facilities accountable. The experienced Phoenix nursing home abuse lawyers at Knapp & Roberts are dedicated to advocating for victims and their families. Contact Knapp & Roberts today for a free consultation to discuss your case and explore your legal options.