Southerners often regard family as one of the most important parts of life. And indeed, many Kentuckians maintain close relationships with all members of the family, including elderly loved ones.
Considering how important family is, and how beloved our elderly family members are, it is crucial that we advocate for them when they are in the care of nursing home facilities. Younger family members often need to act on behalf of a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent, especially in the event that the person is neglected or mistreated.
This may be something the family of one elderly woman is considering in the wake of a devastating incident when the woman was left unattended for nearly 12 hours in a nursing home. According to reports, the woman was bitten by ants about 100 times while she was left alone by her caretakers.
There were three people who were responsible for caring for the woman, who was confined to her bed. Each of them charted that they entered her room multiple times throughout the night to check on her, but surveillance video proves that none of them went in even once.
Thankfully, the woman has recovered from the bites, but the emotional trauma of being neglected is an injury that may never truly heal.
The three workers were immediately let go and each was charged with second degree elder abuse/neglect. If they are convicted, they could be sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
While there is some amount of relief that the workers are facing criminal charges, the woman and her family may be eligible to pursue financial compensation for the neglect as well.
Of course, money will not fully repair the damage or undo the trauma associated with elder abuse and nursing home neglect, but it can help victims of this treatment and their families get the care and support they need going forward to recover from the incident. Filing a legal claim can also result in the dismissal of dangerous workers and send a powerful message that such behaviors will not be tolerated or ignored.