Protecting The Health And Safety Of Our Most Vulnerable Citizens Should Be A Top Priority
This afternoon the Philadelphia nursing home and elder abuse attorneys at Reiff & Bily were consulted on a case where an elderly woman was repeatedly sexually molested and accosted by a caregiver while being transported in an ambulance. Not so surprisingly, this abhorrent behavior is fairly common as elderly people, our most vulnerable citizens, are abused while being transported in an ambulance or while residing in a nursing home or assisted living facilities. Thankfully the United States Senate has introduced a new bill which will prevent people with criminal histories from working in long term care settings by creating a comprehensive nationwide system of background checks. The proposed legislation dubbed “The Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act” expands on a successful three year pilot program authorized under the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act. The pilot program prevented more than 7,000 applicants with a history of substantiated abuse or violent criminal records from working in long term care settings in the Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico and Wisconsin.
We salute the courageous sponsors of this legislation Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wis), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Pa) is expected to introduce a companion bill in the United States House of Representatives. Legislation has been strongly endorsed by State Attorney Generals across the country, The Elder Justice Coalition, The Leadership Council of Aging Organization, AARP, The American Healthcare Association, The American Association of Homes and Services of the Aging and many senior care advocates including nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers of the Philadelphia law firm of Reiff & Bily.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of nursing home or elder abuse, please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 for a free evaluation of your case.
