Elizabeth Kennedy of Greensboro did not have a good 2012. The 86-year-old woman may have been the victim of elder abuse at her nursing home, Maple Grove Health and Rehabilitation Center. Louise Jones, the victim’s daughter, said that she suspected elder abuse when she saw that her mother had taken a blow to the head.
Unfortunately, nursing home care is fraught with danger. A recent report from ABC 10 noted that nearly half of all nursing homes in the central North Carolina area received failing grades from the government's Medicare.gov website. The site tracks reports of suspected abuse, as well as general care, at nursing homes all over the country.
Elder abuse is unfortunately all too prevalent simply because the elderly often have nobody to turn to. In many ways, they are even more vulnerable than children, particularly those suffering from dementia who cannot recall what has happened to them.
It is possible to get help if you suspect that your loved ones are being abused at their nursing home. North Carolina law allows for severe penalties for anyone caught abusing the elderly. A well-qualified personal injury attorney will have the resources to conduct a thorough investigation, and will be able to help you sue the nursing home on behalf of your elderly loved one.