According to the United States Census Bureau, based on data
from 2000, it is anticipated that by the year 2025, the elderly population of
California will have doubled in size to about 6.4 million. This is a larger
increase than any other state in our country.
In addition, research done by the California Department of
Finance indicates that the number of California residents over the age of 65
will also double between 2010 and 2030. Since this section of the population,
those aged 65 and up, are the residents most likely to need long-term care,
this rise in the elderly population will likely impact nursing homes and could
potentially cause overcrowding.
Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases in California
With the elderly population of California growing
significantly, it is vital to the health of California citizens to have
safeguards in place to fight back against elder abuse. The Violent Crimes Unit
of California helps protect elders by investigating and prosecuting instances
of physical elder abuse, committed by individuals who are employees of
long-term care assisted living facilities.
California also utilizes The Facilities Enforcement Team,
which takes on the investigation and prosecution of corporate entities, such as
nursing homes, or assisted-living facilities that have implemented policies or
allow practices that lead to poor quality of care and neglect.
Additionally, California uses a program called Operation
Guardians in order to help improve the quality of care given to the elders that
reside in the 1,300 skilled nursing facilities in the state. This team works to
identify instances of neglect or abuse to recommend for further investigation.
If you believe that a loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse, you can report it to the authorities. In addition to criminal consequences, nursing homes may face civil lawsuits for damages associated with elder abuse and neglect. To discuss the potential for a civil case against a nursing home or long-term care facility, https://premierlegal.org/contact-us/contact our attorneys at The Peck Law Group. We have many years of experience fighting for compensation for those who have been injured by elder abuse or neglect, and we are here to help.