If you look at U.S. population demographics, you will see that Florida has a large population of older adults. In fact, so many people come to sunny Florida to retire that it’s become quite a stereotype in American culture.
Florida welcomes the steady stream of retirees, but this demographic creates challenges for the state. One of the main challenges facing residents and their government, is how to support Florida’s aging population as it continues to grow.
By the Numbers
Florida municipalities have to support enormous numbers of elderly residents. A Palm Beach Post article shows that Florida has 3.3 million elderly residents statewide. It’s second to California in the sheer number of seniors living in the state.
Data also shows that over 55,000 elderly residents are waiting for some form of services in Florida, showing that high demand is an issue. Waiting lists are not uncommon, and the need for caregivers and facility spots is putting stress on the state’s senior population, particularly at lower income levels.
A Growing Concern
Looking at geographic mobility, we can see that many more seniors are still coming into Florida.
In this context, there’s ultimately going to be a lot of demand for nursing home services. And unfortunately, not all of these nursing homes play by the same rule-book.
Some nursing home administrators run a clean, well-oiled ship – they have safe and secure facilities with hygienic protocols and good food and caring staff. Others, however, have been known to cut corners – to the detriment of the resident’s quality-of-life.
When there’s such high demand for elder care services, it’s even more important to keep an eye on the quality of life in nursing homes. Nursing home residents have rights under the law – they have a right to privacy of a reasonable kind, a right to information and a right to file a complaint about something that they feel is a safety or health issue. Families have a right to look into any concerns that their family member may have.
Nursing home abuse cases happen in many different ways. Sometimes, there’s an evident offender – someone is preying on the elderly within the facility. In other cases, it’s more of a general safety issue that triggers a complaint – buildings may not be in the right conditions to keep residents safe. In any case, staying engaged in a nursing home resident’s life gives family members more confidence that they will be able to spot any problems that arise.
Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse: Getting Legal Help
If you have any concern about a loved one who is receiving services in a nursing care facility, talk to Steve Watrel, a local Jacksonville, Florida lawyer. Steve Watrel and his team have an excellent track record and a lot of experience working with nursing home negligence and abuse cases in the Jacksonville area. Let us help your family to move forward when you have problems with how a loved one was treated as a resident of a local nursing home.
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