Texas Senator Moves to Shut Down Facilities with History of Nursing Home Abuse

A Texas state senator is pushing his fellow lawmakers to crack down on nursing home abuse and the skilled nursing facilities that have a history of nursing home abuse and neglect of their residents.

In August, Senator Charles Schwertner proposed a bill to crack down on nursing home abuse by revoking the licenses of skilled nursing and long-term care facilities that did not change their abuse or neglect patterns, have a history of nursing home abuse, or if they committed certain violations. During a Sunset Advisory Commission hearing, Schwertner called out 7 of the 1,200 nursing homes in Texas which are licensed by the state’s Department of Aging and Disability Services for their poor care and chronic nursing home abuse.

“This modification would require DADS to revoke a license of a nursing facility that is found to have a total of three or more level four deficiencies. Each deficiency occurring on a separate day in a 24 month period,” said Schwertner at a hearing in August.

“I think Texans don’t want their parents and grandparents in a substandard facility. There needs to be a finality to repeated bad actors in nursing home administration,” said Schwertner in a phone interview. “It is anything that puts the nursing home recipient in immediate jeopardy of potential serious harm or death… Texans need to have the confidence that when they place their loved ones, parents and grandparents, in a nursing home that it’s free from abuse and neglect.”

Schwertner is pushing the issue again as the legislative session closes down for the year. His “three strikes” proposal, which would allow three nursing home abuse or neglect citations and then the facility would be shut down, is scheduled for a hearing in early 2015.

Signs of a History of Nursing Home Abuse in Your Loved Ones

Nursing home residents may suffer from physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse by their caregivers (home caregivers, family member caregivers). In many cases, these elderly victims cannot communicate due to dementia or other health problems, which makes reporting caregiver or nursing home abuse especially difficult. However, your loved one may show some signs of potential nursing home abuse, and it is important to keep an eye on these problems and report them immediately.  Common signs and symptoms of abuse include:

• bruises, welts, burns
• unexplained fractures or other physical injuries
• repeated accidents
• injuries left untreated
• references to caregiver’s temper or anger
• nervous or quiet around caregiver
• runs away from the home or tries to
• has marks or scars from restraints on wrists
• shows effects of chemical restraints such as incoherence, grogginess, excessive sleep
• sudden fear, restlessness, anxiety
• prevented from getting medical treatment or being alone with visitors
• unexplained changes in behavior
• withdrawal
• unexplained weight gain or loss
• sudden loss of interest in life
• appearance of sudden demise of mental health
• symptoms of extreme shock such as the development of tics: rocking, refusing to speak
• isolation

The Strom Law Defends Victims of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

If your loved one has physically suffered, or died wrongfully, due to neglect or abuse in a nursing home, you may have a nursing home abuse case. The South Carolina Nursing Home attorneys at the Strom Law Firm understand the sensitive nature of elder abuse cases, and will treat you with respect and compassion. It is important to fight elder abuse so you, your family, and others no longer suffer because of criminal behavior. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case. Contact us today for help. 803.252.4800