WalletHub, a popular personal finance website, recently conducted a study of nursing home quality and elder abuse reports by state. According to its findings, South Carolina is the worst state in the nation when it comes to failing to protect elders from abuse, neglect, and other traumas.
The WalletHub study used more than a dozen indicators to measure quality of life for elders per state. For the purpose of the research, elders were considered any resident of the state aged 65 or older. It considered incidents and reports of physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse as nursing home abuse, as well as general neglect like forgetting to feed an elder resident in an assisted living facility.
According to the study, South Carolina is ranked:
- 50th in incidents of gross neglect and exploitation
- 46th in statewide spending on elder abuse prevention
- 41st in total number of eldercare groups
- 32nd in nursing home quality
- 51st in overall rank, which includes Washington DC
(You can learn more about the WalletHub report by clicking here to view a full article from WLTX19, a CBS affiliate in Greenville.)
Taking Steps to Stop Nursing Abuse
Preventing nursing abuse is a responsibility that falls upon everyone. For many people who have an elderly loved one staying in a nursing home, they have to keep an eye open and ear out for any signs of neglect or harm their loved one may be suffering. Many reports of elder abuse also originate from harm caused by a family member living with the elderly resident.
An estimated 5 million nursing home abuse incidents happen each year, but the vast majority are assumed to never be reported. Elders may be too afraid to speak up, or may not realize abuse is abuse due to a lack of perspective or memory loss.
Signs of elder abuse you should keep in mind whenever you speak to or visit your elderly loved one include:
- Unexplained bruises
- Persistent hunger and dehydration
- Fear of a particular orderly, resident, or person
- Uncharacteristic mood swings
- Inability to explain financial losses
- Unhygienic or unsafe living conditions throughout a facility
Here at Jordan Law Center, our Greenville nursing home abuse attorneys hope to do our part in stopping elder abuse by giving a voice to elders in need. We are proud advocates for abused elders and their families who deserve justice and compensation. If you believe your elder is being abused or neglected in a nursing home or assisted living facility, please call us at 864-808-1810 to learn more about your rights and legal options during a free consultation.
