Nursing home abuse and neglect are serious issues for older residents living in assisted living communities and long term care facilities in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Elderly abuse and neglect are too often unrecognized or otherwise ignored, despite strict federal and state statutes and regulations in effect to protect this vulnerable group of patients.

In many cases, the cause of the neglect can be directly related to owner and management cost cutting decisions limiting care of residents through reduced staffing and expenditures in an effort to increase the corporation's profits. These decisions can result in extreme neglect such as bed sores (decubitus ulcers), falls, fractures, malnourishment, dehydration, physical and mental abuse. Accordingly, it is crucial that family members become familiar with some of the common warning signs of abuse and neglect;

Warning Signs of Elder Abuse

• malnutrition, vitamin deficiency resulting in weight loss
• bed sores or decubitus ulcers on the back and limbs
• unexplained fractures, lacerations, bruises or abrasions
• inconsistent and implausible explanations of injury
• discrepancies in explanations between patient and caregiver
• poor hygiene and dentition
• various injuries in different stages of healing

While many facilities are dedicated to providing quality care to this diverse population, there are those facilities whose goal is to minimize and marginalize the older person's concerns and problems in order maximize the facilities profits. The principles of treatment and care must be "people before profits" not "profits before people".

The Law Office of Michael A. Quinn, is dedicated to ensuring that the voices of this population be heard and that the facilities caring for them place people first before their profits.