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When our elderly loved ones require a higher level of care than we can give them at home, we seek a reputable nursing home offering skilled, compassionate care. A vulnerable elderly person may be physically or cognitively unable to report neglect or abuse, and family members may easily miss the signs until serious injuries or illnesses occur. When family members learn that their elderly loved one not only didn’t receive the compassionate care they were promised but suffered from physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse, it’s agonizing for all concerned. One of the first questions family members ask after discovering nursing home abuse is, “How do I report a case of nursing home abuse?”
Abuse in nursing homes is a serious problem, with as many as five million elder abuse cases reported each year. Because many elderly victims of abuse aren’t able or willing to report their abuse, it’s imperative for family members to remain alert to the common signs of neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and financial abuse. Signs could include any of the following:
Recognizing the signs of abuse requires immediate action to protect the vulnerable elderly loved one, including reporting the abuse to proper officials.
Elder abuse is a serious situation. When a nursing home resident suffers an injury or preventable illness due to abuse or neglect, law enforcement involvement is a must. Not only does it mean an investigation takes place, including interviewing staff members and eyewitnesses, but it also ensures a police report exists to help prove the case for the resident and family members seeking compensation, justice, and accountability. According to the state’s reporting tool, the nursing home administrators must report abuse to law enforcement. The Arizona flowchart for mandatory reporting states the following:
“The incident is suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misappropriation. You need to immediately take action. This must be reported to the Abuse Hotline immediately and to Local Law Enforcement within two hours of suspicion.”
When a resident or their family member informs the nursing home administrators of abuse in their facility they must report it to law enforcement within two hours. However, the resident or their loved one may also call their local law enforcement agency and file a report.
Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES), runs Adult Protective Services and has a bilingual online tool for reporting cases of nursing home abuse. You can also call 1-877-SOS-ADULT to report nursing home abuse to Adult Protective Services (APS). The reporting hotline is open seven days a week from 7:00 to 7:00 PM. APS works together with law enforcement to investigate the abuse of vulnerable adults, including elderly nursing home residents who are unable to advocate for themselves.
Arizona has other agencies and organizations dedicated to protecting elderly nursing home residents, including the following:
After reporting the abuse of an elderly loved one in a nursing home to the authorities and other officials, you can begin a case for compensation and financial accountability by contacting the Phoenix nursing home abuse attorneys at Knapp & Roberts. We understand the distress of learning that a beloved family member suffered abuse at the hands of those you trusted with their care.
The personal injury attorneys in Phoenix, Arizona, at Knapp & Roberts have the compassion and trial lawyer skills to tell your story to a jury. We will get to know you and your family so that we can help the jury understand what has happened to you and your family and how it has changed your lives. Obtain the compensation necessary for the injuries and losses you have suffered.
