Cognitive Disorders

The Los Angeles nursing home and assisted living neglect attorneys at the Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi understand that the challenges faced by the elderly are not limited to physical ailments. Our nursing home neglect lawyers are very familiar with issues such as capacity that are related to cognitive disorders. We understand the sensitive nature of these disorders and we are confident that we can provide you with the legal services that you and your loved one need.

While one of the most common cognitive disorders is dementia, there are many other lesser known cognitive disorders that affect the greater majority of the elderly population. According to the American Nurses Association, 60% of nursing home residents suffer from at least one cognitive disease. These can include memory loss, disorientation, confusion, or inability to recognize people, places and parts of speech. While the effects of cognitive disorders can sometimes be reversed if they are diagnosed early, most of these conditions are degenerative, unfortunately, and become more severe with age.

The increased dependency that is inherent in elderly adults undergoing cognitive decline is what makes the role of the skilled nursing facility so crucial. Nursing homes are responsible for ensuring that your loved one is being properly cared for and that activities of daily living (ADLs) are being carried out by well-trained and knowledgeable staff. A high-quality staff entails both physical and emotional support, however. As adults age and lose the ability to care for themselves, they often feel ashamed or embarrassed, especially with the onset of more serious symptoms such as incontinence. It is extremely important that the nursing home staff is highly encouraging, supportive, and understanding, as these feelings of shame often further aggravate other cognitive disorders such as depression and social isolation.

Elders with dementia and other cognitive issues are also more prone to suffer harm from wandering and/or falling and medication mismanagement. Nursing homes are thus responsible for carefully supervising and monitoring patients with cognitive issues to ensure that they are safe from preventable harm. If your loved one has suffered from falling, medication mismanagement, or other similar harms at a nursing home due to failure to monitor, you may want to call a Los Angeles nursing home attorney immediately.

Assisted living facilities are also increasing in popularity as an option over skilled nursing facilities. A large number of assisted living residents have dementia and or some type of cognitive issue, as some studies report that as many as 70% of residents have some form of dementia. The use of medication to treat dementia and cognitive issues, such as psychotropic drugs, is also very high in assisted living facilities.

Regardless, issues with the quality of dementia care for assisted living residents are common. Reports suggest that dementia services in assisted living facilities did not meet the quality of care that dementia residents need, including providing engaging activities, helping with transferring, monitoring for wandering, and assisting with medication administration. Assisted living facilities generally only provide supervisory care, and many also do not have specialized departments to treat elders with dementia and cognitive issues, such as a memory care unit. Many uncertainties remain about both the proper quality of care in assisted living facilities and the viability of proper treatment when compared to higher levels of care.

Because cognitive diseases are extremely delicate and difficult to treat, it is important to find a facility with a trustworthy staff that will not abuse or take advantage of your loved one. Please contact the Los Angeles nursing home and assisted living neglect attorneys at the Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi today if your loved one suffers from a cognitive disorder and you feel that he or she is a victim of neglect. Our team of qualified lawyers have achieved the best results for our clients, and may be able to help you in the event that your loved one has suffered harm at a nursing home or assisted living facility.