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If you suspect your family member is the victim of any kind of elder abuse or neglect, it’s important to act immediately. We welcome you to contact Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers for a free consultation. We’ll confidentially discuss what’s happening and what you can do. There is no obligation when you call.

Elder care fraud is more common than you think. It can occur in many ways, such as:

• Healthcare providers or staff duplicating billings for the same medical service or equipment,
• Improperly medicating a patient,
• Providing inadequate care by poorly trained or insufficient staff,
• Crowding at an elder care facility, and in other ways.

There are federal and state laws to improve the quality of life in elder care facilities. However, poor care is still common, particularly among large, for-profit corporations that run nationwide chains. With 1.3 million elderly patients in more than 15,000 facilities, the problem may continue to grow.

Understaffing and elder care fraud

Some elder care facilities are critically understaffed. Only one licensed nurse might be assigned to an entire facility. Staff may not have the right training for the specific tasks to care for a patient. In addition, nursing assistants are the most overworked employees in nursing homes. They have the responsibility of providing personal assistance to the residents in all aspects of their everyday living. An understaffed facility cannot work like a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, it’s the patients who suffer when there are not enough people to provide adequate care. On the other hand, residents may not get the services or supplies they need because the facility has not paid its bills. Utility companies might threaten to shut off services to nursing homes that are behind by thousands of dollars.

If you believe your loved one is the victim of elder care fraud, we can help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll confidentially discuss the situation and your options moving forward.