Few among us are more vulnerable than the elderly residents entrusted to the care of a Massachusetts nursing home or assisted living facility. The average cost of a Boston nursing home is more than $300 a day, or about the cost of a stay in a Five Star Hotel.

At the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman,LLC, we aggressively fight for the rights of nursing home residents and hold poorly operated homes accountable for their actions.

Instances of nursing home neglect and abuse are frequently reported in the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts. Inadequate and poorly trained staff, victimization by other residents or staff members, insufficient medical care, lack of social services, malnutrition, theft and fraud, and abuse and mistreatment are all common causes of nursing home abuse of neglect.

We must all face the problems of abuse and neglect in nursing homes. The American Health Care Association estimates that about half of us will reside in a nursing home at some point in our lives and nearly all of us will rely on a nursing home or assisted living facility to care for an elderly friend or loved one. Meanwhile, more than half of the nation's nursing homes are owned by large chain corporations and two-thirds are operated as for-profit businesses.

Each staff member at the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman encourages you to remain vigilant whenever visiting a nursing home and to discuss concerns with a qualified and experienced Massachusetts nursing home neglect and abuse attorney. Common signs of nursing home neglect or abuse include:

• Bed sores or open wounds
• Soiled clothing, bed sheets or rooms
• Unkept appearance
• Broken bones, bruises or other injuries
• Unexplained injuries or bleeding
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Unexplained changes in behavior
• Refusal by staff to allow unsupervised visitation
• Overmedicated residents
• Loss of a resident's possessions
• Unexplained bank activity
• Abrupt changes in financial documents

Source: Elder Abuse Foundation

Tragically, the neglect or abuse of nursing home residents frequently occurs without intervention. Medical complications, including Alzheimer's and dementia, can make detecting abuse difficult. In other instances, a nursing home resident may be prevented from reporting abuse or may be hesitant to report neglect or abuse out of fear of retaliation or even because they do not want to burden friends or loved ones.

If you are dealing with a suspected case of neglect or abuse in a Massachusetts nursing home, please contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman, LLC, today for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your concerns.