Nursing Home Abuse in South Carolina

How common is nursing home abuse in South Carolina?

That number is not easy to calculate. Many cases of nursing home abuse, neglect and exploitation go unreported each year. The state Adult Protection Coordinating Council compiles an annual report that includes the number of abuse complaints that are filed with various agencies in the state. In 2010, there were:

• 3,266 complaints made to Adult Protective Services
• 1,702 complaints made to the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
• 325 complaints made to the Medicare fraud hotline

Those different groups receive reports of abuse at private nursing homes, state-run facilities, residential homes and any other settings.

Does nursing home abuse affect only the elderly?

No. Although the majority of people living in nursing homes are age 65 and over, people with other types of serious disabilities, such as traumatic brain injuries, may also reside in nursing homes because their families cannot care for them at home. The South Carolina Vulnerable Adults Investigation Unit received 966 complaints of nursing home abuse in 2010. The legal definition of “vulnerable� includes anyone over 18, including the elderly.

I just learned that the nursing home employee who abused my loved one has a criminal record. Shouldn’t the facility have checked on that before hiring them?

According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 92 percent of nursing homes employ one or more individuals who have been convicted of at least one crime. In South Carolina, nursing homes are required to conduct statewide background checks on potential employees. However, they are not required to get a criminal history on possible hires from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is a more detailed check.

Have You or an Elderly Loved One Been Abused? Call Our Nursing Home Attorneys Today

Elder abuse and neglect is a crime. The compassionate attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm in South Carolina want to help restore the dignity, safety and basic rights that you or a loved one have lost as a result of elder abuse in the Palmetto State. Call our lawyers toll free at 888-440-3211 or(803) 454-1200 or fill out our confidential online form.

Based in Columbia, our lawyers also serve Charleston, Spartanburg, Summerville, Rock Hill, Mount Pleasant, Aiken, Hilton Head Island, Anderson, Greenville and all cities and communities in Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Sumter, Florence, Myrtle Beach, Irmo, Columbia, Spartanburg, Kershaw, Lee, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Greenville, Lancaster, Newberry, Orangeburg, and Saluda and Richland counties.

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