• 11
  • November
    2011

North Carolina is in the top 20 percent of states that have citizens over the age of 60 years old, and it's expected that one in four of state residents will be over the age of 60 by 2030. Since adults are living longer and since not all senior citizens will want to be a part of nursing homes, long-term care homes and other assisted living facilities will increasingly crop up in our state.

Unfortunately, there are very few advocates for the elderly, and there will likely be a shortage of such individuals as the elderly population increases. Since long-term care facilities generally do not have the professional nursing and medical staff of nursing homes, there is an increased chance that individuals residing in such facilities may not have their medical needs met.

Residents of long-term care facilities require care of a doctor, assistance concerning daily chores, being free of physical restraint and neglect, and having the freedom and security like any other adult. Not all long term facilities will actually meet their needs.

Legal counsel may be able to provide assistance and resources for those seeking long-term assistance, and such counsel can take actions in the event such homes are negligent in the care of their residents. Often facilities will not create or follow proper safety features. Such care facilities do need to be held accountable when such incidents do occur to prevent the same thing from occurring again in the future.

Considering the serious consequences of injuries resulting from improper training of nursing and assisted care homes staff, such facilities need to understand the duties that they owe to their patients and to the families of such patients.

Source: South Charlotte News, "Expert: Don't wait for long-term care crisis," by Allison Osman, Nov. 7, 2011