San Francisco California Elder Abuse Law Blog

Long-term care facility neglect and bedsores

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in long-term care facility neglect on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

Did you know that the development of bedsores (aka pressure ulcers) is a preventable phenomenon? The presence of bedsores is a massive problem in California nursing homes, leading family members to believe that the issue is unavoidable. In truth, when residents suffer from ongoing and persistent bedsores, it may indicate that long-term care facility neglect is the true culprit.

It is safe to assume that most nursing home workers care about their patients and work hard to make residents healthy, safe and comfortable. Unfortunately, many of these facilities are understaffed. When there are not enough employees to go around, the risk of long-term care facility neglect leading to patient health concerns increases.

How to determine what counts as elder abuse

On behalf of Stebner and Associates on Friday, March 1, 2019.

If you have a loved one living with a caregiver or in an assisted-care facility, you may hear stories you’re not sure what to do about. If you’re not quite sure whether you’ve got a case of elder abuse on your hands or simple disagreement, here are a few guidelines to follow.

How can families research nursing homes to avoid elder abuse?

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in Elder Abuse on Friday, March 1, 2019.

When the time comes to place a beloved family member into a nursing facility, you may experience a great deal of apprehension. After all, the news media is full of disturbing reports about elder abuse in these facilities. Families often worry that they will inadvertently expose their elders to such abuse.

Unfortunately, you cannot always know whether your family member experiences mistreatment after becoming a resident. However, you can stack the odds in your favor by doing a little research. Below you will find four free resources to assist you when looking into the background of California nursing homes.

The elderly are often targets of financial abuse

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in financial abuse on Friday, February 15, 2019.

Elderly people are some of the most vulnerable residents of San Francisco. They are at risk of suffering physical and emotional abuse, but those aren't the only ways that a nefarious individual can abuse the elderly. Financial exploitation is also a common form of elder abuse. From unauthorized check cashing to coercing an elderly person to give away their property, financial abuse of the elderly is a serious problem.

Knowing how this abuse occurs can go a long way in protecting elderly citizens. When family members understand how their loved ones become targets of financial abuse, they are better able to take preventative measures. This knowledge can also help them hold the abuser legally responsible for their crimes.

Home care owner convicted of elder abuse and manslaughter

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in Elder Abuse on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

Caring for the elderly is a massive responsibility. While it comes with many rewards, it is not the right career choice for everyone. Perhaps that is why elder abuse occurs in the first place--because the person providing care is not suited to perform the job. Whatever the reason mistreatment happens, elder abuse is an ongoing danger for many older Americans throughout the nation.

To punctuate this point, the owner of a California senior assisted living facility recently received a conviction on several charges revolving around the death of one of the facility's residents. The victim, who suffered from dementia, wandered away from the facility and remained missing in the dark for several hours. Unfortunately, the patient suffered a pedestrian/vehicle accident while trying to cross a road and died from his injuries.

An uncomfortable glance at long-term care facility neglect

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in long-term care facility neglect on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

Thanks to modern medicine and technology, people are living longer and healthier lives. Many elders are able to care for themselves well into their older years while still participating in soul-nourishing activities and events. Unfortunately, there may still come a day when families may need to seek long-term care for their elders. This is a big cause of concern for many who fear their loved one may fall victim to abuse or neglect.

When a sick or elderly family member suffers from obvious abuse in a care facility, the authorities can step in and make arrests, but what about neglect? Further, what if an elder you love suffers from long-term care facility neglect that may be quite subtle? We want you to know that you have legal options if you believe your loved one is suffering from neglect. Examples of such neglect include:

Not providing elders with proper food and water
Not bathing patients or their clothing
Not giving patients their medication or overmedicating residents
Not attending to any injuries patients may have
Not making sure patients and elders are properly supervised

AZ woman in coma, raped and delivered baby at care facility

On behalf of Stebner and Associates on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

Stories of nursing home abuse are unfortunately familiar. Too many callous staff members are found taking advantage of the sick and weak residents dependent on their care. An Arizona healthcare facility is in the spotlight recently due to a horrific discovery. On December 29th, 2018 a 29-year-old incapacitated woman delivered a baby at the healthcare facility while in a vegetative state. This woman has been in a coma for the past 10 years.

Law enforcement investigators report that nursing home staff allegedly had no prior knowledge of the long-term resident’s pregnancy. Therefore, the woman received no prenatal care or additional food through her normal feeding tube portions. Staff members of the facility including those during the approximate time of conception, are under DNA analysis and a criminal investigation by local authorities.

Know the signs of elder financial abuse

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in financial abuse on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

For most, it is difficult to understand how someone could take advantage of an older, vulnerable person. Unfortunately, it is a sad reality that can and does happen. In addition to physical abuse and neglect, many elders residing in California are victims of financial abuse perpetrated by unscrupulous caregivers and other parties.

Fortunately, you can help protect your aging family members by learning how to spot signs of elder financial abuse. The following section contains some common signs of such abuse.

Social media becoming new form of abuse in nursing homes

On behalf of Stebner and Associates posted in long-term care facility neglect on Friday, December 21, 2018.

Almost everyone is on social media in one form or another— nursing home workers included. While social media can be a fun and enjoyable way of sharing photos and videos with friends and family, it is now one of the biggest dangers to nursing home residents.

According to a recent article, there have been over 65 reports of nursing home workers posting photos and videos of residents on social media since 2012. Some of the worst incidents of social media abuse have occurred throughout California.

Tips to protect your parents from technology tricks

On behalf of Stebner and Associates on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Seniors don’t have to be in the dark when it comes to technology — and they shouldn’t be. Recent studies have shown that now six in ten seniors go online.

But, it’s important that we're teaching our parents how to be responsible with technology. These tips can help your parents avoid dangerous technology tricks pulled by scam artists.