In 2016, employees of at least 18 nursing homes and assisted care facilities posted unauthorized photos and videos of residents on various social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. Unfortunately, some of the material shared was vulgar and demeaning to residents and, sadly, one third of the incidences happened here in Iowa.

Since the problem has come to the attention of regulators and nursing homes, they have pledged to crack down. However, it appears that the number of reported incidences has risen, which some attribute to either more reporting due to raised awareness or that the abusive practice has simply become more widespread.

According to a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, the uptick in reports is expected with nursing homes practicing more oversight. However, officials acknowledge that lack of regulations has made it difficult to hold caregivers accountable. That is due to change.

Proposed law will soon define dependent adult abuse to include “the taking, transmission, or display of an electronic image of a dependent adult by a caretaker, where the caretaker’s actions constitute a willful act or statement intended to shame, degrade, humiliate, or otherwise harm the personal dignity of the dependent adult.” Those who engage in abuse and employers who turn a blind eye will be subject to more severe consequences moving forward.
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Contact an Experienced Iowa Nursing Home Adult Abuse Attorney

If you or a family member has suffered from nursing home abuse or neglect, contact Iowa nursing home adult abuse attorney John T. Hemminger for immediate help at 515-283-2116.

Medication errors are a wide scale problem in the U.S. and are only becoming more common as prescription drugs become the “go to” source for medical professionals to treat a growing list of ailments afflicting Americans. This matters because medication errors can lead to serious damage to a person’s mental and physical health. Health complications arising out of medication errors include, for example, cancer, strokes, and heart failure to name a few. One group in particular that has been hard hit by this wave of medication errors has been the elderly.

In 2005, the F.D.A. mandated that anti-psychotics include a warning label that the drugs may increase the risk of death for dementia patients. Despite this warning label, Medicare claims in 2007 revealed that about 88 percent of anti-psychotics, which were prescribed to elderly nursing home residents, were prescribed to dementia patients. While there are cases where anti-psychotics have been legitimately prescribed to elderly nursing home patients, research indicates that there are many cases where such drugs should not have been prescribed and this has had a negative impact on elderly individuals’ health throughout America. Indeed, according to medical research cited in a recent PBS news article, “older adults account for 35 percent of all hospital stays but more than half of the visits are marred by drug related complications”.

Contact a Nursing Home Medication Errors Attorney

If you or a loved one has experienced over medication errors, it may be time to consult an attorney who can advise you in choosing the correct course of action as well as recover the costs arising from over medication errors. Contact the Des Moines Iowa nursing home neglect and nursing home medication errors attorney John T. Hemminger for assistance if you or a family member has been harmed at 515-283-2116.

Opioid addiction is an epidemic across the nation, but it is not usually associated with senior citizens. However, because seniors undergo more surgeries including hip replacements or other procedures which require pain treatment, opioid addiction among the elderly is on the rise.

Because seniors are sometimes shuffled between hospitals and nursing home facilities they are often cared for by multiple physicians and caretakers who may not be tracking their prescription drug intake – an issue of nursing home neglect.

On top of oversights in the process, nursing homes often fail to provide elderly residents with substance abuse counseling when they are taking prescription meds and do not train staff adequately to be on the look out for problems.

Negligent care can very well lead to abuse or misuse of these powerful painkillers, which can set seniors up for addiction leading to serious health issues or even death.

A recent report found that millions of older Americans receive prescriptions for commonly abused opioids so the potential for problems is significant. Increased diligence on the part of nursing home doctors and caretakers is crucial to prevent seniors from harm.

Contact an Iowa Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer
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If you or a family member has been a victim of nursing home negligence, call an experienced Iowa nursing home neglect lawyer, John T. Hemminger, for assistance today at 515-283-2116 or email us through this website.

A new Iowa law has made an array of fireworks available to consumers that were formerly banned in the state. Everything from toy smoke devices to missile-type rockets can now be purchased by anyone 18 and up from approved locations.

Of course the availability of fireworks in the state raises concerns about safety. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that an average of 230 people go to the emergency room everyday with fireworks-related injuries around the Independence Day holiday. More than 10,000 firework injuries were treated in U.S. hospitals in 2014 alone.

Unfortunately, some of the injuries reported just last year included the loss of appendages, typically hands or fingers, and injuries to the eyes, serious burn injuries some involving young children. While most consumers handle fireworks responsibly, some are negligent, which may result in serious harm to themselves or others.

Iowa firework Injury Safety

Because of the danger fireworks can present, consumers are urged to follow the instructions on the package and to exercise extreme caution. Safety tips include the utilizing a flat, clear surface free of people to ignite fireworks; standing at a safe distances after lighting the fuse; not firing devices from the hands or other makeshift containers; and, never attempting to re-ignite a firework that doesn’t light the first time.

Contact an Iowa firework personal Injury lawyer for help

Des Moines Iowa Personal Injury Lawyers with 30 years of experience handling hundreds of Personal Injury cases. We provide personalized, one-on-one attention. You will work directly with an attorney with decades of experience in obtaining maximum compensation for your loss – you will never be handed off to a less experienced attorney! Call 515-283-2116 for your free consultation.