Georgia Added to Federal Initiative for Elder Abuse Investigations

When choosing a care home for elder relatives, it is important to visit and research any facility you’re investigating. While a great many facilities provide outstanding care for their residents, there are some facilities who fail to provide that care. Some have even come under government scrutiny and have been forced to shut down.

While a Sandy Springs couple who owned a couple of nursing homes bought luxury houses and vehicles, their facilities had conditions that were horrendous. Patients were starved, suffered from severe bed sores, and had ceiling tiles, wet from rain, fall into their beds. The air within the facility was so foul that patients kept their windows open to get fresh air.

The Medicaid and Medicare funds that were supposed to go to their care were spent by the couple to sustain their lavish lifestyle.

It took a patient’s death to bring the horrific conditions of the facility to light.

As a result, the Department of Justice is including the state of Georgia in an investigation by a specially assembled task force. The Elder Justice Task Forces will operate in ten states, including Georgia. They will be targeting facilities that subject residents to abuse, financial exploitation, and deprivation of essential care.

Several counties will be included in the task force’s focus. These will include most metro-area counties like Cobb, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties. Also included are some far-flung counties like Whitfield, Rabun, and Polk counties.

The federal government publishes a list of nursing homes that are under scrutiny due to their history of serious quality issues. These homes receive special focus in the hopes of improvement. Some nursing homes do not improve, despite the focus. Some of these homes are Orchard View Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Columbus, Georgia. However, some facilities such as the Cook Senior Living Center in Adel, Georgia, do show improvement.

If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered from abuse or neglect while in a nursing facility, contact the law offices of John Foy & Associates. Our “Strong Arm” attorneys will help to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today.