Utah is a wonderful state in many ways. But, like any state, we do have some serious issues that we need to address. Utah nursing home abuse is one of them. According to one study of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Utah nursing home abuse common. It is so bad that our state ranks #48 out of 51. Such a poor ranking is cause for concern, especially for those with family members in Utah nursing homes.
Carlson Injury is a supporter of improving nursing home treatment – and we believe that improvement starts by recognizing how bad things currently are.
What Factors Contribute to Utah Nursing Home Abuse
The study we linked above is meant to give an overview of not only Utah nursing home abuse, but nursing home abuse on the national level. Estimates on the prevalence of nursing home abuse vary, but one estimate theorizes that up to ten percent of those over 60 experience abuse. The National Council on Aging thinks that authorities learn about only one in 24 cases of abuse.
To better understand the results of the study, we should explore the methodology. The methodology of the study considered three major factors – prevalence, resources, and protection. Based on these criteria, the researchers gave Utah some of the worst scores for all three categories.
Prevalence
The study looked at the number of complaints per 100,000 for elder abuse, gross neglect, and exploitation for residents 65 and older. It considered the estimated rate of elder fraud and the amount of elder fraud loss per reported fraud.
Resources
The study considered the total money spent on elder abuse prevention, the total money spent on legal assistance development, and the total long-term care ombudsman program funding per resident 65 or older.
Protection
There were multiple categories the study examined in this category, including:
- Financial elderly abuse laws
- Eldercare organizations and services per elderly resident
- Presence of elder abuse forensic centers
- Presence of elder abuse working groups
- Certified volunteer ombudsmen per elderly resident
- Frequency of assisted-living facilities inspections
- Quality of nursing homes
- Presence of laws allowing surveillance cams in nursing homes
- Number of elder justice task forces
- Presence of elder abuse shelters
Utah Should Do More To Prevent Elder Abuse
As you can see from the study, preventing elder abuse in Utah is a complex problem. However, it is a problem that the majority of the other states in the U.S. have addressed better than Utah. Studies like this one shine a spotlight on areas that our state can improve. While it is helpful to have information like the results of this study, it is even more important to make changes to address these issues.
Victim of Utah Nursing Home Abuse?
If you or a loved one has been abused at a nursing home, please contact us at Carlson Injury. Our nursing home abuse attorney can give you knowledgeable advice. If we pursue a lawsuit on your behalf, you can depend on us to fight hard for you.
Call us today at (801) 845-4577 or fill out our online contact form. Our team will contact you shortly to listen to your story. We look forward to speaking with you.