Although nursing home facilities were developed with the intention of providing elderly citizens with the level of care that they require, it seems that some residents are being put at an increased risk of abuse. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), instances of elder abuse have risen nearly 30% over the last decade.

Some experts believe that this may have something to do with the worsening economy, as many families have been left with limited options when placing their loved ones under the care of a nursing home facility. Even so, there is no excuse that can justify the rate at which elder abuse occurs in the U.S. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 5,960,000 cases are reported each year—which accounts for 9.5% of the elderly population.

Of these cases, 58.5% involve instances of neglect, 15.7% involve physical abuse, 12.3% involve financial exploitation, 7.3% involve emotional abuse and 0.04% involve sexual abuse. Another reason that instances of neglect and abuse are on the rise is that nursing homes continue to operate with a minimal staff. In fact, it has been reported that approximately 94% of these facilities lack an adequate number of nurses and nursing assistants to provide a sufficient level of care.

For this reason, it is not surprising to hear that approximately 1,800 residents sustain fatal injuries in slip and fall accidents each year, and that an additional 240,900 suffer from bedsores. It is somewhat shocking, however, that a majority of elder abuse cases go unreported. This means that thousands of victims across the U.S. are silently suffering through abuse.

At Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, we think it's time to take a stand against the prevalent problem of elder abuse. In order to do so, we need victims to come forward about the unlawful harm that they have suffered. If you or someone you love has been targeted under these circumstances, we encourage you to tell us about your case today.

From there, we can get started on pursuing the level of compensation that you deserve—as no one should have to suffer through this alone. All you have to do is pick up the phone and give us a call at (201) 870-1909 to get started. Your initial consultation with our Hackensack personal injury lawyer is free, so there is no reason why you should wait any longer to take action. We are ready to fight aggressively on your behalf, but it is up to you to take the first step.

If you are interested in reporting an instance of abuse in Bergen County, NJ, you can also contact adult protective services by calling at (210) 870-1909.