Chester County Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

Nursing Home Abuse in Chester County

Chester County is one of the three original Pennsylvania counties created by William Penn in 1682. With a population of nearly 500,000 as of the 2010 census, Eastern Chester County is home to a number of communities which comprise the western suburbs of Philadelphia, with the southern portion considered suburban Wilmington. The original county seat of Chester County was the city of Chester, although the county seat was moved to a more central location in 1788 to West Chester. The eastern portion of the county separated, forming the new Delaware County, making Chester the county seat of Delaware County. Need to learn more about nursing home abuse in the greater Philadelphia area including:

Elderly Population in Pennsylvania Will Continue to Rise

According to the Philly News, the state of Pennsylvania, as well as in Chester County, has a senior population which is growing by leaps and bounds—twenty times faster than Pennsylvania’s overall population. It is estimated that by the time 2025 rolls around, more than one in five Pennsylvania residents will be 65 or older, as the number of those below retirement age will decrease. In fact, while the population of the state of Pennsylvania is expected to grow by 4 percent between 2015 and 2025, the number of residents 65 and older is expected to grow by a whopping 30 percent.

Because the number of elderly persons in Pennsylvania is increasing, the number of those in nursing homes can also be expected to increase. With more elderly people in nursing homes, it follows that there will also be an increase in nursing home abuse and neglect cases. According to nursinghomeabuse.org, nearly 25 percent of nursing home residents have experienced at least one instance of physical abuse while in a nursing home. The problem is a serious one which must be addressed by appropriate agencies. While there are many nursing homes in Chester County, a few of those include:

Pembrooke Health and Rehabilitation Center
Hickory House Nursing Home
Brandywine Hall
Chester County Pocopson Home
Syngery HomeCare
Harrison House Chester County
Barclay Friends
Wellington at Hershey’s Mill
Simpson Meadows Retirement Community
And more

The Many Forms of Elder Abuse in Chester County

There are many different forms of elder abuse in Chester County, Pennsylvania which could take place in a nursing home—physical, sexual, emotional and financial—and it may not always be obvious when nursing home abuse occurs.

Physical abuse is any type of physical force which is likely to result in pain, injury or impairment. The most common forms of physical abuse include pinching, kicking, hitting, slapping, shaking, pushing and burning. It is important to know that force-feeding an elderly person or using restraints or drugs inappropriately are also considered physical abuse.

The elderly, particularly elderly women, are often frail and easily injured. This means that even holding an elderly person tightly by the arm or wrist can result in bruising or even sprains or fractures. Those who work with the elderly are aware of this physical vulnerability and should never try to physically harm or control an elderly person.

Emotional or psychological abuse is generally defined as causing another person anguish, distress or emotional pain. Emotional and psychological abuse includes threats, curses, intimidation, humiliation, insults, harassment, or treating the elderly person like a child. While emotional and psychological abuse usually comes in a verbal form, staff members may give an elderly person the silent treatment or isolate them from family members or other residents.

Sexual abuse, while less common, is any non-consensual sexual contact with an elderly person who is incapable of giving consent, and can include unwanted touching, forced nudity or even rape or molestation.

Neglect of an elderly person can be particularly difficult to prove, and can be either active or passive. Active neglect means a caregiver deliberately withholds food, water, medication, or hygiene. Passive neglect could occur when a nursing home is severely understaffed, and the staff simply do not have the time necessary to fully care for each resident. Every resident is legally and morally entitled to have the basic necessities of life, including clean water, food, shelter, personal hygiene, clean clothing, medications, safety, medical care clean surroundings.

Financial abuse is less common in nursing homes, and more common among family members when the elderly person is living with relatives or living in his or her own home, but is dependent on family members. Financial abuse can include forging checks, stealing cash, stealing possessions, coercing or deceiving the elderly person into signing documents, or even improperly using a power of attorney, a conservatorship or a guardianship.

Who Is Most at Risk for Chester County Nursing Home Abuse?

While virtually every resident in a Chester County nursing home could potentially be a victim of abuse or neglect, women are more likely to be abused. Those with mental impairments are especially vulnerable to abuse, with studies indicating that as many as half of all those with dementia are neglected or abused. Poor medical health is linked to higher rates of abuse, as is social isolation. Those who have been abused or neglected in the past are more likely to suffer additional incidents of abuse or neglect, and elders who fall in a lower socioeconomic class are more likely to be the victims of elder abuse and neglect. In the end, loved ones must simply be extremely vigilant in watching for signs of abuse or neglect, and must take immediate steps if they believe abuse or neglect has occurred.

Getting Help from the Ciccarelli Law Offices

If you have discovered your elderly loved one has experienced nursing home neglect or abuse, it is likely you are reeling from the shock. Speaking to an experienced Chester County nursing home attorney from the Ciccarelli Law Offices can help you understand your options, as well as what you need to do as far as reporting the incident to authorities. If you suspect your elderly loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, contact a Philadelphia nursing home abuse attorney from the Ciccarelli Law Offices today. Nursing home abuse cases can be complex—call (610) 692-8700 or (877) 529-2422.

When you need a team of experienced Pennsylvania nursing home neglect and injury lawyers, Contact the Ciccarelli Law Offices by email or phone at (610) 692-8700 or (877) 529-2422. We represent nursing home injury clients throughout the greater Philadelphia area including Chester County and we offer multiple office meeting locations, home visits and hospital visits and serve clients in many locations including West Chester, Avondale, Parkesburg, Chester Heights, Chester Springs, Malvern, Devon, Chesterbrook, Paoli, Wayne, Downingtown, Coatesville, Kennett Square, Exton, Honey Brook, and Oxford.

Whether you live in West Chester, Malvern, Lancaster or Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania, there is issues that faces us all with our spouse, our parents, and our loved ones. There comes a time when we look to and trust nursing homes to care for our loved ones. It is often a difficult and somber decision to make to recognize that are loved ones need additional care and attention. If your family is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, speak to one of our experienced Nursing home neglect attorneys at Ciccarelli Law Offices. We can be reached at (610) 692-8700 or (877) 529-2422.

We make that decision based on our believe that a nursing home will only provided the highest quality of care and its residents live in a safe, dignified manner. No one should face abuse, neglect,

No one should face physical and mental abuse and neglect, or misappropriation of their property or funds. The Pennsylvania elder care injury lawyers of Ciccarelli Law Offices are ready to bring justice to those who would subject you or your loved one to injury and neglect.

At a time when nursing homes and assisted living are often unregulated or under-regulated the possibility for neglect and abuse rises for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens. Our elderly should not be seriously injured because of a nursing home’s desire to cut its labor costs but hiring and retaining inexperienced or inappropriate workers, or allowing for overworked nurses and staff that are more likely to cause negligence, or understaffing that makes a nursing home unsafe. When a nursing home is negligent or allows elderly abuse, action must be taken and experienced personal injury lawyers are available for a free consultation.

Our nursing home injury team is prepared to fight for your family and pursue pain and suffering claims when a nursing home allows negligence or abuse including both physical, mental, psychological, verbal, sexual abuse, intimidation, brutality and sexual abuse.

When you have been seriously injured as a result of nursing home care abuse or neglect in Pennsylvania, you need dedicated, aggressive and experienced personal injury lawyers. Contact us today to discuss your rights, your options and the benefits of our nursing home injury lawyer team. We can be reached by email or at (610) 692-8700.