What’s the Solution?
One of the solutions proposed by experts in the community has involved establishing an elder death review team in every major urban area; a team that would not only directly address the issue, but also educate the police and prosecutors about how to go after and prosecute the problem. This could also help to address the many gaps left by state agencies that fail to investigate these issues and take action. It is simply unacceptable that a facility that allows a resident to suffer from inadequate supervision and medical neglect be allowed to simply continue to operate, as is, without any repercussions.
There is no question that, if and when negligence, abuse, and other actions (or inactions) taken by these homes that divert from standard care, these facilities can absolutely be held accountable via litigation. However, these types of claims require the knowledge of an attorney who specifically has experience in the complexities of these cases.