When you place your loved one in a nursing home, you trust the staff to provide the highest level of care. Unfortunately, overcrowding and understaffing have hurt nursing homes in the state of Wisconsin. In fact, of the 375 nursing homes in the state, 60 received a one-star rating from Medicare. This is based on the quality of care, staffing levels, and health inspection performance. This poor care has led to greater incidences of nursing home abuse and elder neglect.
How bad are the nursing homes in Wisconsin? Within a 50-mile radius of Milwaukee, more than 50 percent of nursing homes received a below-average rating. This is indicative of a wide-spread problem throughout the state. It implies that the system as a whole needs improvement. But what is Wisconsin doing to improve nursing home facilities in the state?
Elder abuse is more common than even reported. That is because the majority of abuse cases and neglect go unreported over fears or concerns. Elderly residents fear retaliation or humiliation if they report the abuse. Some simply do not have the physical or mental abilities to report the abuse.
The first step to fixing nursing home abuse in Wisconsin is early recognition and detection. In Door County, social service workers, law enforcement and community members have come together to stop elder abuse. They learned how to work together to recognize and report suspicions of elder abuse and neglect. To do this, the federal government gave them a grant. This money helps to develop a coordinated plan between these various departments to identify and stop nursing home abuse.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice divided the grant they received among four recipients. They included Outagamie and Door Counties, Milwaukee and the Oneida Nation. These four groups represented a diverse aging population in the state. Their hope was to build a coordinated community response to nursing home abuse in each area. This is best achieved through extensive training and education. Now, law enforcement, government agencies, and people who work with older adults can better recognize the signs of nursing home neglect and abuse.
If your loved one suffered nursing home abuse or neglect, it is important to know where you can turn for help. You need someone on your side to protect your loved one from further elder abuse. It is equally important to hold the negligent abuser and institutions responsible.
At Martin Law Office, our Wisconsin elder abuse attorneys offer compassionate and aggressive legal representation every step of the way. We know how scary this time is. So, we help provide you with answers to your questions. Our nursing home abuse lawyers offer complete legal guidance and compassionate care throughout your ordeal. Call us at 414-856-4010 or fill out our confidential contact form for more information.