Personal Injury Law

Illinois Nursing Home Care during ?Older Americans Month?

By Kris Briggs

May has been designated as the ?Older Americans Month? in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data offering a snapshot of the lives of older citizens in the U.S. today. In July 2008, 38.9 million Americans were 65 or older. More than 1,575,000 Illinois citizens were 65 or older; among the states, Illinois had the fifth highest population of citizens over 65.

In 2008, 1.6 million older Americans (4% of the overall population of those 65 and older) lived in nursing home facilities. Residents of nursing facilities, in Illinois as elsewhere, face special challenges. They often require more care than other older citizens, and are more vulnerable to injuries caused by either abuse or negligence. Sometimes they have a harder time getting relatives and other people to listen to their concerns and take them seriously.

Without proper care, bedridden nursing home residents in particular may get bed sores, experience more infections, or suffer injuries such as broken bones caused by a fall. Injured nursing home residents require additional treatment and face both pain and suffering and increased medical bills.

If you suspect that someone you love may be suffering from abuse or negligent treatment while living in a nursing home, you should try to document any injuries that they many have suffered, and contact an experienced Illinois personal injury attorney right away. An experienced attorney will be able to help you investigate further and help you determine the best way to protect the interests of the nursing home resident.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on May 04, 2010 (boomark / email).