Is My Loved One Safe in a For-Profit Nursing Home?
Over the last several years, for-profit nursing homes have come under fire for overcharging patients, lax standards of care, and cases of neglect and abuse.
If you’re like most people, you’re already worried about the level of care your loved one is receiving in a nursing home. When it comes to for-profit facilities, is your loved one at risk?
Pushing the Legal Envelope: For-Profit Nursing Homes in the U.S.
Jill Horowitz, a law professor at the University of California, says that your loved one might not receive the quality care you expect from a costly nursing home.
“Research shows for-profits are more likely to pursue money in all kinds of ways than non-profits are, even by pushing the legal envelope,” says Horowitz.
But is she right?
Lawsuits at For-Profit Nursing Homes
Each year, hundreds of people file lawsuits against for-profit nursing homes for unnecessary care, abuse and neglect. Worse, people who work in some of these homes face criminal charges for things they’ve done to patients.
For-profit nursing homes often overcharge for services; in some cases, they even provide unnecessary care to people who don’t need it.
An 80-year-old woman in South Carolina who couldn’t keep her eyes open or hold her head upright passed away after being placed in a standing frame for nearly an hour and a half for therapy that she didn’t need—and that’s just one case out of hundreds.
That’s not to say that your loved one isn’t safe, though. Each for-profit nursing home company has its own standards and rules.
If you suspect that the staff at your loved one’s nursing home is abusive, or if you think they’re over-charging for services or creating unnecessary therapies, say something.Remember, you are your loved one’s best advocate.
If you have suspicions about his or her level of care, or if you need clarification about nursing home bills and the types of treatment your loved one is receiving, it’s always okay to ask. (If you get the runaround from nursing home staff, that’s a red flag!)
We specialize in helping people deal with predatory nursing homes, and we can help you and your loved one, too.
Call 1-800-842-8462 (1-800-