Elder Law

Horrific Example of Abuse of Elderly by Relative

By Levin & Perconti

This blog frequently includes the latest examples of blatant, deadly nursing home abuse. Our Chicago nursing home attorneys at Levin & Perconti work each day on that battlefront fighting for the rights of residents and their families and trying to ensure that these facilities take steps to change their ways. When facing large business conglomerates it is important to have expert, experienced legal veterans on your side helping to hold these companies accountable.

However, another hidden problem of elder abuse often involves seniors who are victimized in other locations, often by their own relatives who are entrusted with their care. A recent, horrific example was reported at the end of last week by the Daily Comet. A woman was arrested on Thursday and charged with cruelty to the infirmed for her treatment of a live-in relative.

When called to the home, authorities found the 69-year old woman living in a small wooden shed that was attached to the home. This single wooden room reported was ?in disarray, filthy and smelled of urine and rotting flesh.? The woman was found on a sheet-less vinyl mattress in her own urine with other bodily fluids crusted on the bed. At a local hospital, she was found to have sores exposing bone and tendons, a broken hip, and a broken femur.

The victim had not been moved in some time and appeared confused and unclear about her surroundings. Police later discovered that the woman had not been given her medication in weeks, with her supposed caregiver only explaining that ?it wasn?t her job? to take care of the victim.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on November 02, 2010 (boomark / email).