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According to the report, Dollins’ elderly mother, Norma, was ordered into long-term adult protective custody following an affidavit being signed on her behalf to remove her from her daughter’s home where she was being cared for. The affidavit stated the home was not in a sanitary condition and Norma was not being cared for properly. Norma Dollins is diagnosed with several medical conditions and is physically unable to move herself or leave the home. Norma Dollins was previously in an incident in which she was trapped in her home after falling from her wheelchair. At the time of the fall, a house fire had broken out and Arkansas police had to assist Dollins to get out of her home.

In any elder neglect incident, the potential for a dangerous situation to arise is always present. Although the incident involving Norma Dollins trapped in a house fire is unrelated to the incident of elder abuse she suffered, the potential for Dollins to be victimized in another dangerous situation could have easily occurred. In the past, elderly people have been neglected and essentially left to rot away with nobody to assist them. Nobody should ever have to be put in this situation. An experienced Arizona attorney can assist you or your loved ones if you believe they have been neglected by their caregiver in any way.
 

In a previous incident between Mayfield and the un-named man, Mayfield asked if he could give her a ride to court. Since the man has poor vision, Mayfield had to drive both of them to the courthouse. Once they arrived, Mayfield reportedly told the man she left something in the car and headed back to it. Mayfield then got in the car and drove off and abandoned the man at the courthouse. Mayfield is now charged with home invasion and elder abuse.

Although the man did not suffer any severe injuries in this incident, the treatment he received from somebody he apparently knew is still very cruel. This type of abuse should never happen by any means against an elderly person or anybody else. There are constantly incidents where people take advantage of elderly people because they are unable to defend themselves. It is sad when a person suffers from this type of abuse, despite the fact that it is not in a physical form.
 

The investigation into Betty Tucker’s death resulted in a warrant being issued for Brenda Tucker’s arrest. Brenda Tucker is currently free on bond according to the Examiner report.

Elder abuse unfortunately occurs more often than people think. There are many reasons why elder abuse occurs including negligence or direct abuse. In this incident, there is no report on whether Betty Tucker was physically abused or not. Regardless whether there is direct physical or emotional abuse or not, elder abuse can easily be avoided in any situation. If you suspect elder abuse to be taking place either in an elderly individual’s home or in a nursing home facility you should contact your local police department to report the crime.

You should also contact an experienced personal injury attorney if your loved ones have been the victim of any sort of elder abuse. In order to avoid elder abuse, you should always check in with your loved ones if they are staying in a nursing home or assisted living facility. If they are staying in your home and you are unable to properly care for your loved ones, you should contact a reputable nursing home or some other medical facility that will assist in providing proper care. Elder abuse should never occur in any situation and this case demonstrates the effects that elder abuse can have.

For more information on elder abuse, visit the Nursing Home Advocates.

The lawsuit argues that maggots infested his nasal and oral cavities which caused him to suffer from a condition known as aspiration pneumonia. The lawsuit seeks damages from the nursing home facility because their negligence directly led to Foreman’s death. Attorneys representing Foreman’s estate argue that several employees are held responsible for negligence and failing to provide sufficient care for Foreman. The representing attorney’s and Foreman’s estate seek to gain $75,000 for pain and suffering, medical expenses, mental suffering, impairment and other damages.

There have been many extremely serious cases of elder negligence but this one seems to be one of the worst cases. Nobody should ever be left in their room for such an extended period of time for them to suffer an infestation of any bugs or insects. Other previous incidents have occurred where elderly individuals were left lying in their own waste. Negligence of this severity is entirely unsanitary and is a drastic threat to the health of the people left in this condition, as this incident shows. This type of negligence should never occur by any means and those responsible for neglecting these individuals should be punished for it to the highest extent possible.

The report states that the woman’s daughter learned that she had been locked in her bathroom alone for roughly 45 minutes. The wrongful death lawsuit contends that the facility should be held criminally negligent because they left the woman alone for so long despite knowledge of her mental state. The lawsuit was filed by the woman’s daughter against the New Horizons of Treasure Coast facility. The lawsuit contends this was a preventable tragedy.

The fact that the facility was aware of the woman’s mental state of depression and their knowledge of her receiving treatment for the condition could potentially work against them as they should have been taking better care of her at the time of her death. Since they left her confined in a room for over 45 minutes, this further emphasizes the neglect they had in ensuring that the woman was properly cared for while she remained in the facility. All of these facts seem to point to the fact that this woman’s death could have been prevented had the facility maintained their presence in the woman’s room or somewhere where she could be monitored easily.

Police are investigating whether or not the man’s 50-year-old son should be cited for elder abuse. The 74-year-old man told police that he was unable to move from the couch and his son was unable to care for him due to an injury he suffered on his arm.

 Elder abuse of any kind is inexcusable regardless of the reasons. Many nursing homes and group homes provide assistance for elders when they cannot get proper care they require at home. Unfortunately there have also been cases of elder abuse at these facilities. However, there are many ways that elder abuse can be prevented whether it is at home or in a nursing or group facility. There are many ways that families of elderly individuals can select a nursing home or group home facility that meets their requirements and the needs of their loved ones. The website nursinghomeinfo.com has information on what to look for and what you can do in order to find the right nursing home facility for your loved ones. In addition, the National Center on Elder Abuse has information on how to spot elder abuse and how to prevent it from affecting loved ones.

 For more information on elder abuse, visit Solomon & Relihan's

Nursing Home Advocates website.

The Post-Gazette profiles Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, one of the leaders of the culture change movement.  Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute recently received a $500,000 grant from the state of Pennsylvania for a pilot program aimed at changing the way nursing home employees are trained.  PHI trains nursing home employees to be more empathetic and understanding of their patients and to encourage patients to be as independent as possible.

In addition to employee training, the other major staple of the culture change movement is a change in the way nursing home patients are housed.  Culture change advocates want to move away from the institutional, hospital-like model of current nursing homes.  This includes increasing in-home care and building new facilities that foster more independence.  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has donated $13 million toward building "Green House" enclaves in which people who choose to live together can live independently but have communal spaces and support staff on site.

The culture change movement is evidence that many in the nursing home and elder care community realize that the traditional institutional model is not the most effective way to deliver care.  Undertrained staff and outdated facilities create situations that are rife for abuse and neglect.

For more information on nursing homes and nursing home abuse, visit the Solomon & Relihan Nursing Home Advocates page.

Sun Valley Group of Tempe is a group that provides guardianship services for adults who need care and advocacy.  Under state law, a judge can appoint a guardian provided by a company such as Sun Valley Group for adults who are deemed unable to make decisions for themselves.  The guardian is supposed to be an advocate for the patient's rights and make decisions on their behalf.

However, according to the patients' family members interviewed by ABC15, Sun Valley Group is more interested in bilking the patients of their money instead of providing services.  One patient's daughter says that her mother's medical bills were not paid, she did not receive proper medical treatment, and her house was allowed to go into foreclosure.  In another case, Sun Valley Group charged a patient's family $500,000, including $75 per hour for an employee to open the resident's mail.

The co-owner of Sun Valley Group is currently being investigated by the Arizona nursing board, while the company is also under investigation by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Unit. More information on Sun Valley Group can be found in this video report from ABC15:

Elders and their families must always be looking out for abuse. If you believe a member of your family has been abused by a nursing home or a guardian, you should contact an attorney to discuss your case. For more information on elder abuse, visit the Solomon & Relihan Nursing Home Advocates website.