The following is a guest post from Avery Appelman, a criminal defense attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Avery and his team specialize in DUI, drug and traffic offenses, and he regularly blogs about a wide range of criminal law topics. If you ever need legal assistance when visiting Minnesota, give Avery and his team a call. …
One of the Hardest Decisions Any Child Can Make And How I Struggled With It
In my work, I represent people whose loved ones have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous long-term care facilities. I’ve handled cases involving all types of conduct from negligence to outright abuse. As you can imagine, that experience has led to heightened skepticism with regard to elder care facilities. However, there are times when a …
First Meeting of Florida’s ALF Task Force Phase Two
In response to an in-depth series in a Miami newspaper on assisted living facility abuse, residents who died in assisted living facilities, and probes into reported assisted living facility neglect, Governor Scott created the Assisted Living Workgroup in 2011. The workgroup was directed to examine the regulation and oversight of Florida’s assisted living facilities (ALFs). …
Florida’s ALF Task Force to Reconvene in June
When Florida’s legislative session closed earlier this year, legislators had not passed any laws designed to address the problems of assisted living facility neglect. Despite the efforts of the governor’s ALF task force and other advocacy groups, the House and Senate were unable to come to an agreement on any laws that sought to fix …
Florida Legislature Fails to Address Assisted Living Facility Neglect Despite Recommendations from the Governor’s ALF Task Force
In response to a growing number reports of assisted living facility abuse and the Miami Herald’s series on ALF neglect, Florida governor Rick Scott charged a task force with finding solutions to the problems plaguing these facilities. Made up of elder care advocates, legislators, and industry officials, the task force met several times over the …
Are Florida Lawmakers Beginning to Address Assisted Living Facility Abuse?
Florida lawmakers are now considering changes to the state’s oversight of Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). According to The Ledger, just months after they reportedly considered stripping more regulations designed to protect against assisted living facility neglect, legislators are now considering changes that would do the opposite. These changes could include increased fines for violations, stricter …
Is Florida’s Elder Abuse Watchdog Group Under Attack by Industry Insiders?
Established in the 1960s to protect residents from nursing home abuse and assisted living facility neglect, Florida’s elder care ombudsman program seems to be falling apart. With politics encroaching on its goals, many of the program’s veterans are either resigning or being fired by Jim Crochet, the new Chief Ombudsman suggested by nursing home and …
Florida Senate Report Concludes Florida Isn’t Doing Enough to Protect Assisted Living Residents
A new report by the Florida Senate Health Regulations Committee details the shortcomings of Florida’s oversight of assisted living facilities. Capitol News Service states the report follows a series of newspaper investigations into cases of assisted living facility abuse and assisted living facility neglect that lead to wrongful deaths. In most of these cases, the …
Hollywood, FL Pharmacy Could Be Responsible For Outbreak of Eye Infections
12 patients in the Miami area are suffering from serious eye infections potentially linked to a Hollywood, FL pharmacy’s negligence. ModernMedicine.com reported the Florida Department of Health has linked the streptococcal endophthalmitis infections to three clinics who used eye injections repackaged by the pharmacy. The pharmacy allegedly took sterile 4 ml vials of bevacizumab, split the …
Florida Gov. Scott’s ALF Task Force May Not Help
In the last entry, I discussed Florida Governor Rick Scott’s recent decisions regarding Assisted Living Facilities or ALFs. In addition to vetoing legislation that would have helped ALF owners avoid regulation thereby potentially putting residents at risk, Gov. Scott announced plans to launch a task force to find ways to improve conditions in these facilities. …
Is Florida Finally Starting to Address Assisted Living Facility Abuse and Neglect?
An Assisted Living Facility, also known as an ALF, is a place seniors can live that need some assistance with their activities of daily living but do not need enough care to qualify for a nursing home. Florida has detailed laws that are supposed to protect seniors living in ALFs from abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, …