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 About Adam Peck

Adam J. Peck, ESQ is a principal with Peck Law Group, APC. In 2008, Mr. Adam Peck received his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. His practice is primarily dedicated to representing Elders, Dependent Adults, along with their loved ones and family members, who have suffered horrific personal injuries.

Los Angeles Bed Sore Litigation Lawyer Talks About Stages and Symptoms of Bed Sores, Pressure Sores and Decubitus Ulcers

Bedsores fall into one of four stages based on their severity. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of pressure sores, has defined each stage as follows:

* Stage I. A pressure sore begins as a persistent area of red skin that may itch or hurt and feel warm and spongy or firm to the touch. In blacks, Hispanics and other people with darker skin, the mark may appear to have a blue or purple cast, or look flaky or ashen. Stage I wounds are superficial and go away shortly after the pressure is relieved.
* Stage II. At this stage, some skin loss has already occurred — either in the outermost layer of skin (the epidermis), the skin’s deeper layer (the dermis), or in both. The wound is now an open sore that looks like a blister or an abrasion, and the surrounding tissues may show red or purple discoloration.
* Stage III. By the time a pressure ulcer reaches this stage, the damage has extended to the tissue below the skin, creating a deep, crater-like wound.
* Stage IV. This is the most serious and advanced stage. A large-scale loss of skin occurs, along with damage to underlying muscle, bone, and even supporting structures such as tendons and joints.

If you use a wheelchair, you’re most likely to develop a pressure sore on:

* Your tailbone or buttocks
* Your shoulder blades and spine
* The backs of your arms and legs where they rest against the chair

When you’re bed-bound, pressure sores can occur in any of these areas:

* The back or sides of your head
* The rims of your ears
* Your shoulders or shoulder blades
* Your hipbones, lower back or tailbone
* The backs or sides of your knees, heels, ankles and toes

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Steven C. Peck Illustrates Some of the Causes of Elder Abuse

Below are some of the factors which may cause Nursing Home Abuse and neglect and Elder Abuse indicates California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Steven C. Peck:

Caregiver Stress:

Working in a nursing home or residential care facility can be extremely stressful. It is a difficult job done well by many special people. The staff may meet frustration with a violent response. The lack of adequate staffing can result in employees being overworked and becoming overly tired and more prone to making mistakes. They may be under considerable stress to meet the needs and demands of too many residents. Inadequate staffing can lead to inappropriate levels of responsibility resulting in neglect.

Inadequate Training of Staff:

Adequate training of employees is essential if they are to deliver care to residents in an efficient and appropriate manner. Lack of training is the source of a large range of potential problems, from improper transfers to bathing accidents to choking. Employees should be trained in dealing with problem situations that can lead to abuse.

Inadequate Supervision of Staff:

The facility may have provided training and have preventative programs in place, but their implementation is not monitored by supervisory staff. Part of the role of the supervisory staff is to help aides handle difficult residents. Another role is to ensure that safe procedures are adhered to. Without adequate supervision, aides may use inappropriate measures or techniques to the detriment of patient care.

High Turnover Rates of Staff:

For a variety of reasons, it is difficult to attract and retain qualified employees. Some of the reasons include low wages, lack of qualified applicants and poor screening and hiring practices.

Los Angeles Elder Abuse Attorney Steven Peck Defines Elder Abuse

Elder abuse in the state of California can be defined as mistreatment of an elder (aged 65 years or older) or dependent adult (between the ages of 18 and 64 with physical or mental limitations) living either within a home or an institution.

Common types of abuse are physical abuse (causing pain or injury), psychological (causing mental anguish), sexual (assault or rape), financial (using property or money without consent), abandonment, neglect (lack of reasonable care), abduction (taking the elder out of the state without consent), isolation (purposely preventing communication and contact) and self-neglect (an elder refusing to care for themselves to the point of harm).