Problems at Ashley River Plantation
As a loved one ages, they may need care and medical attention that is beyond an adult child or family member’s abilities. In those cases, many families might make the challenging decision of placing a loved one in a memory care or assisted living facility. In addition, South Carolina has over two thousand options for long-term care facilities, making choices plentiful. These care facilities should give great medical and emotional care. Family members should feel not only that loved ones are safe and secure, but also a sense of relief that a senior can now receive needed care in a safe living environment.
Unfortunately, some assisted living facilities do not uphold their end of the bargain. Senior loved ones may be neglected or even hurt. When this happens, seniors and their families may feel like they should have known better, but it is not their fault. The entire purpose of memory care and assisted living facilities is to provide needed care, be it emotional or medical.
Ashley River Plantation in Charleston, SC, is supposed to provide specialized memory care, assisted living, rehabilitation, and respite care.
The Hughey Law Firm has successfully brought claims against this facility on behalf of our clients.
If Ashley River Plantation hurt, abused, or neglected your loved one, Hughey Law Firm can help you navigate this difficult time. It is important to understand the basics of assisted living facilities and the circumstances that lead to seniors being hurt or neglected, but always consult an attorney for assistance regarding your situation.
What Services Does Ashley River Plantation Offer Residents?
The website and videos for Ashley River Plantation paint the facility to be cozy and picturesque, looking a lot like a family house from yesteryear. Like other facilities, its services include the following.
Assisted Living
Assisted living facilities provide help for someone to live and complete daily tasks. The difference between an assisted living facility and a nursing home is the level of care. People who are assisted living residents do not need as much daily help as those in nursing homes. Assisted living includes social interaction opportunities, fun activities, comfortable accommodations, and specialized dining and dietary options. It may also include things like housekeeping, medical needs, or help dressing.
Memory Care
According to the AARP, memory care units provide a safe, structured environment to lower stress for senior residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Memory care programs offer basic medical and emotional support. Programs focus on keeping the senior engaged or involved in hobbies or activities while providing needed medical treatment and assistance.
Rehabilitation Care
If a senior is injured or has surgery, rehabilitation care focuses on helping the patient return to everyday life. Programs may include physical as well as occupational therapy. Fitness training also falls under rehabilitation care.
Respite Care
Respite care allows seniors short-term residence options. It could be that the senior needs care while family caregivers are traveling for work or away on vacation, or it could be a way for seniors to try out assisted living facilities before they make a long-term residence decision.
Dining & Nutrition
As we get older, dietary needs change. The National Council on Aging advises that seniors eat healthy options from the basic food groups like grains and protein while paying attention to calorie intake. Seniors require fewer calories than other age groups but still need balanced meals. Since meal planning brings challenges for seniors, specialty chefs in assisted living facilities deliver personalized meal plan options to accommodate dietary needs. Residents dine with each other to embrace and build community and stave off loneliness.
How Much Does Ashley River Plantation Cost?
Pricing starts at $3,290 a month, but the cost increases with different floor plans, amenities, and services like memory care.
What Are Some Examples of Potential Injuries in Assisted Living Facilities Like Ashley River Plantation?
Unfortunately, not all South Carolina assisted living facilities provide the outstanding level of care and attention that websites and brochures may claim. Hughey Law Firm has successfully helped clients with claims against Ashley River Plantation.
In general, here are some examples of the issues assisted living facilities may have that lead to injuries:
- Inadequate background checks
- Understaffing
- Improper facilities maintenance
- Inadequate medical care
- General neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Failure to provide adequate nutrition
Inadequate Background Checks
Assisted living facilities should staff caregivers with no criminal history of committing abuse or violent acts. In fact, federal rules prohibit Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities from hiring people guilty of such acts. However, not all facilities conduct necessary background checks when hiring employees. Background check types vary, and federal law also does not require FBI or state-level background checks specifically. The Department of Health and Human Services conducted an assessment to determine whether nursing facilities employed individuals with criminal convictions. The assessment found that most nursing care facilities employed at least one person with a criminal conviction.
So even though South Carolina law sets parameters for background checks for potential employees of assisted living facilities, some are not conducting these necessary background checks. Additionally, hiring individuals with lesser, non-violent convictions is still at the discretion of the care facility.
These inactions mean that a violent, criminal offender may care for your loved ones. Since assisted living facilities may be understaffed, these unacceptable hiring practices do happen. As a result, these individuals may hurt your loved ones or not provide needed care.
Neglect
In elder abuse law, neglect is when a caregiver fails to provide necessary services and care to maintain seniors’ physical and mental health. This is a broad term that could include failure to provide essentials, including but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical service.
Although any caregiver or staff may neglect seniors in assisted living facilities like Ashley River Plantation, previously discussed inadequate background checks may result in caregivers knowingly not providing needed care and assistance. That means that your senior loved one may not receive meals to keep them healthy and thriving. In addition, seniors may be victims of mental and emotional abuse, being told hurtful things to make a senior suffer. Caregivers may inflict a host of other sad neglectful and abusive actions on senior residents.
Hughey Law Firm is Ready to Help with Your Assisted Living Facility Claim
Our legal team will work aggressively to assist you with the injury of your senior loved one. We have dealt with assisted living facility claims, and we are not afraid to stand up for our clients’ rights. If you or a loved one were hurt or abused while a resident of Ashley River Plantation or any other care facility, contact us today by calling (843) 881-8644. You can also chat with us online or submit an electronic request for a free consultation.
