Officials in the Commonwealth of Kentucky are responding to an increase in reports of nursing home negligence and abuse across the state. Like in many states, too often allegations of abuse in nursing home facilities did not receive the attention and the follow-up that such serious allegations deserve.
To combat this issue, state officials have announced plans to begin issuing citations to nursing facilities anytime death or injury of a resident or patient occurs as a result of negligence or abuse. A group of investigative reports by a Kentucky newspaper revealed that often these citations did not receive proper follow-up and attention from authorities.
In previous years, only a handful of over 100 of these types of citations turned into prosecutions against the nursing facilities. Representatives for the state's Attorney General's office say that several of these citations were never received by the office. They also stated that public access to records of such citations was difficult to obtain.
Changes to Kentucky's handling of citations and reports of abuse came as a result of meetings between the state's governor and the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. They discussed proper protocol in the investigation and prosecution of serious nursing home negligence complaints and allegations.
Meetings will be held regularly by the office who handles citations to ensure that processing of all citations is occurring and that investigations of such elder-abuse allegations are completed when necessary. The citations against nursing homes for abuse and neglect will now also be published online so that may be easily viewed by the general public.
Steps like these help tremendously in spreading awareness of the very serious issue of nursing home negligence in the United States. If you believe that a loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing facility, contact the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel by phone at 1-800-541-9376 and schedule a free consultation. You can also visit our website at www.nursinghomenegligences.com.
