Independence is a path that many Georgia residents plan to follow as they move into their retirement years. After decades of saving and planning, they may reach the point in their lives where they are able to stop working and to focus on their families, their passions, and their happiness. When their health and finances allow them, retirees may be able to stay in their own homes for many years.
However, not everyone has the option to live independently as they grow older. In some instances, a person’s health may prevent them from staying in their own home due to safety concerns. When an individual requires help to meet their basic needs they may choose to move into a facility where they are given necessary care and support.
Nursing homes can provide many levels of care depending on the needs of their residents. While some nursing homes are established to provide residents with meals and minimal medical support, others offer skilled services to ensure that their residents get medical treatments and therapies. All nursing homes, however, are required to provide their residents with safe and secure spaces to live.
When a nursing home fails to meet its duty of care to its residents, instances of nursing home abuse and neglect may happen. Nursing home abuse may result from direct action taken against residents or from omissions of necessary care and services. Victims can suffer many different forms of harm in these cases, from financial losses to personal injuries and even death.
Residents of nursing homes have rights and when those rights are threatened, they have legal options for addressing the wrongs that they are forced to confront. They have the right to be involved in their own medical care decisions and to pick their own doctors. They have the right to see family members and to keep items of personal property with them during their stays. They can choose to participate in social and religious activities and they may openly discuss grievances about their care.
When nursing home abuse and neglect occurs, victims can stand up for their own rights. Attorneys who practice elder law and nursing home abuse law may provide victims with legal support and knowledge to protect their rights and safety.
