The state of Kentucky has secured a $3 million federal grant to help them with their fight against elder neglect and abuse in nursing homes. The grant will be used to pay for more intense background checks for potential employees.
Equipment for advanced fingerprinting will be purchased and extensive background checks will be given to verify that potential caregivers for the elderly have no criminal history before they become employees at nursing homes.
Current law only requires that nursing homes and long-term care facilities do background checks using only the potential employee's name, and that background check is only required if the employee wishes to provide direct care to elderly nursing home residents.
The fingerprints and background checks will be administered by the national organization known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The effort to fight nursing home abuse increased when a series of newspaper reports revealed that out of over a hundred significant citations for elder neglect and abuse filed over the span of three years, only a handful were prosecuted.
The new fingerprinting and extensive background checks will be given to applicants at nursing homes, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and assisted living centers, among others.
Unfortunately, instances of nursing home abuse and negligence are steadily increasing nationwide. Reform such as this helps reduce elder neglect and abuse, but there is certainly more that should be done to combat such abuse.
If you believe that an elderly loved one has been the victim of neglect or abuse in a nursing home or other facility, contact Dr. Bruce Fagel today for a free legal consultation. Click here to contact us online, or call us toll-free at 1-800-541-9376.
