Elderly Abuse Epidemic in Nursing Homes Across the United States

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LUBBOCK, TX - It's estimated that one in every ten elderly individuals will experience some form of elder abuse. At the broadest level more than 2 million cases of elder abuse are reported every year, according to nursinghomeabuseguide.org.

CNN revealed an in depth investigate report of rape and sexual abuse in nursing homes across the nation as well.

Lubbock Injury Attorney Fred Bowers said elderly abuse cases are classified as medical malpractice and can be tricky.

"As a lawyer pursuing those cases we have to follow the requirements of the medical liability insurance improvement act which has been in place since 2003 and in order to do that is very time consuming and expensive." Bowers said.

Unfortunately he said personal injury attorneys have to turn away those kinds of cases very frequently, and it's an unpleasant task explaining it to families.

"Most people living in a assisted living or nursing home are retired people or are unable to work, Texas has very strict damage caps of what can be recovered in that," Bowers said. "

CEO of Crown Point Heath Suites Rick Ruble, said his wives family has had nursing homes in Lubbock for 58 years, and they have spent many years researching on how to create an environment for the elderly that they can feel comfortable about.

"They have the choice of when they want to shower, when they want to have a meal, what kind of meal," Ruble said. "You lose your dignity when you lose everything you have, when you don't have a choice."

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Elderly Abuse Epidemic in Nursing Homes Across the United States