Just Wait Until They Die

I was in a nursing home recently to see a person who was injured. I always wonder about the people who are in those facilities. Are they being visited and are they being well taken care of? It seems like most of them are expensive enough that there really shouldn’t be any question about their care.

David Mittleman recently looked at the problems that exist with bad medical care:

Too Many Americans Harmed By Care Intended To Help Them, David Mittleman | October 09, 2011 10:38 AM

I also got to thinking about some past stories about the nursing home abuse that took place in Albert Lea. I recently heard that a couple of the abused people have since died. This is a horrible gap in the Minnesota law.

If a person dies after a personal injury, their heirs only have a claim for the specials ( wage loss and medicals) unless the death was a result of the injury. Therefore, it’s in the defendants interest to drag their feet and make everything take as long as possible. This is another reason why an experience attorney who won’t take this nonsense can make a difference.

If you have a family member in a nursing home , it is important to look around on each visit. Be vigilant in certain areas. Look for signs of physical abuse, neglect, and verbal/emotional abuse. If you see signs of abuse:

• Contact the Nursing Home Administrator and tell them your concerns.
• Contact the Minnesota Board of Aging.
• Contact the police department in the municipality where the abuse occurred.

Hubert Humphrey talked about the way a society is doing could be judged by the way they cared for their elderly. It’s important that we protect all of those who have contributed to society and who are the most vulnerable.