I have a question for you today. Who is going to stand up for our most vulnerable citizens — the elderly, our parents, our grandparents? 2.6 million elderly Americans live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities; 75 percent of these nursing home residents are women with an average age of 85 years or older.
Hi. My name is Daryl T. Dixon and I’ve been on the front lines of nursing home abuse and neglect for the past 15 years. The most common causes of nursing home abuse and neglect are physical and sexual abuse by an employee, physical and sexual abuse by a fellow resident, malnutrition and dehydration, bed sores and pressure ulcers, and drops or mishandling of the resident. Other factors are failing to follow a treatment plan, failing to call the doctor or failing to provide emergency care. Shockingly, 90 percent of nursing home neglect abusers are staff, employees and other residents, or someone that’s even known by the victim.
Last year CNN reported that 90 percent of nursing homes are understaffed, which creates an atmosphere for nursing home neglect. Only 20 percent of nursing home neglect cases are ever reported, and many go unnoticed by nursing home staff and family. If you have questions about your nursing home abuse and neglect case, pick up the phone and call me. I talk with people every day about nursing home abuse and neglect in the state of Kentucky. I’d be happy to give your case a look.
