Rockport Nursing Home Negligence

It’s not hard to imagine why Rockport is a popular destination for retirement – easy access to the beach, a comparatively older population, and tranquil streets. Many do so in licensed homes for the elderly – in fact, there are at least eight in Rockport proper, and dozens more in the surrounding area of the Gulf Coast. Unfortunately, retirement does not always equate to easy living. Abuse of the elderly can happen anywhere, even in Rockport, and when it does, victims need a competent and experienced Rockport elderly abuse attorney from Carabin Shaw to defend their rights.

It is a sad fact that Texas has one of the worst, if not the worst, reputation for nursing home neglect in the country. In a statewide study concluded in 2017, almost 18,000 violations of state nursing regulations were reported in a single year. Of all these, including 800 that were of the highest severity, indicating patients were in immediate or life-threatening danger, only 40 enforcement actions were taken against care providers.

Be Vigilant of Your Loved Ones

With Texas’ poor record of enforcement, it is often up to the friends and family of residents to spot and stop abuse when nobody else can. It is thus important to regularly visit and monitor the health and living conditions of their elderly loved ones. While you do, be on the lookout for the following early-warning detectors of these Rockport types of elder abuse and negligence:

• Physical: While it is true that the elderly are more susceptible to accidental injury, physical signs of trauma shouldn’t be dismissed. Especially if they are consistent or show patterns of frequency, a Rockport nursing home neglect lawyer should be contacted immediately at the first suspicion of physical abuse. The most unmistakable signs of abuse are those that show themselves on the victim’s body, such as broken bones, recent or infected wounds, and especially bedsores, which can be a clear indicator that caretakers are grossly neglecting their duties to attend to the patient in question. Bedsores are most often the result the body lying in a single position for far too long; ask your loved one if their sheets are changed regularly, and see if other residents appear to be getting more careful attention – it is not uncommon for staff at some facilities to single out one patient to ignore. Another subtle manifestation of physical abuse is the appearance of dehydration, malnourishment, sudden weight loss, or yellowing skin and eyes. Not only can these symptoms be a result of dietary neglect, they can also point to inappropriate handling or dosages of medication.
• Psychological: You know your loved one well; if you think they are behaving at all out of the ordinary, you’re probably not wrong. Changes in a resident’s ordinary moods and behaviors can indicate prolonged exposure to non-physical but very much personal abuses, ranging from verbal abuse to malicious abandonment. Especially take note of reclusiveness, reticence, or refusals to eat food or take medication.
• Environmental: The visible state of the nursing home is also a sure sign that something is going wrong at the care facility; an unclean facility is often the first red flag of understaffed nursing homes. Pay attention not only the hygiene of your loved one and their room, look closely at the cleanliness of common rooms and the appearance of other residents as well. Providing a clean and healthy environment is one of the most fundamental duties of any caregiver, and you not only have right to expect it, you have the right to employ a Rockport elderly abuse lawyer to seek restitution for their wrongdoing.

These guidelines only scratch the surface of what you need to be wary of in your family member’s nursing facility. We highly recognize you read our list of 10 signs of nursing home neglect in Rockport and thoroughly familiarize yourself with them.

What Can You do if You Suspect Abuse?

Most importantly, if you suspect your loved one is in immediate danger, call police immediately. Once you are certain they are relatively safe, the next thing you should do is report facility to Texas Health and Human Services at 1.800.458.9858.

As history as shown however, the state services of Texas have a deplorable track record of handling elderly abuse. It may be years before action is taken, if any is take at all, and there’s still a high probability your family will be left with nothing to show for your pain but an apology.

That’s why the next step you should take is to contact a nursing home neglect lawyer in Rockport right away. For over 20 years, Carabin Shaw has been taking on all who would commit these injustices against those who can hardly defend themselves, from small in-home care outfits to nationally-owned nursing home chains. You can trust our expertise and experience to resolve your case quickly and to your satisfaction.

For a free consultation on your case and answers to all your questions about nursing home abuse in Rockport, call the law offices of Carabin Shaw in Rockport at 361.790.7788 or toll-free at 1.800.682.1260 today.

---