One in five nursing homes in Florida has been placed on a Health Care Watch List for not adequately taking care of its patients.
The group Families for Better Care took a look at nursing homes throughout Florida and found that fully 20 percent of them are on the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration watch list.
Elder care facilities land on the watch list when they fail to meet minimum standards of care for their patients.
The red-flagged facilities are allowed to remain open and in business under “conditional” status.
Yet some of the nursing homes languish on the list for months – in one case up to three years – without anything much being done.
The watch list can be viewed at the state’s online Nursing Home Guide.
But it might be difficult for a lay person to navigate the site or wade through the legalese (examples: the difference between “restraints” and “abuse,” and the meaning of adequate “hydration and nutrition”).
As a result, any person who thinks they or a loved one might have a Florida nursing home injury claim or a Florida elder care injury claim should speak with a qualified attorney to learn more about their legal rights and options.
Florida Elder Care Nightmare
For many residents of Florida nursing homes and retirement facilities, long-term care has become a long-term nightmare
In 2011, the Miami Herald published a shocking account of elder care abuses taking place in assisted-living facilities across Florida.
Florida elder care injury lawyer Philip DeBerard helped a family recover $555,000 after their 86-year-old relative died from receiving poor treatment in a nursing home. The victim was found by his family with bedsores on his heels and buttocks because the staff had failed to turn him. The bedsores were so severe that bones protruded through his skin.
After making numerous attempts to get the attention of staff and ringing the call button for hours, the man was found lying in his own urine and feces. The man died due to multiple injuries.
Sources:
- State of Florida – Nursing Home Guide http://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/nhcguide/GuideIntro.aspx
