Arizona Disability Advocates for Group Home Abuse Against People with Down Syndrome
Many people who live with Down Syndrome reside in residential group homes. These facilities are supposed to provide medical care for their residents, assist them with daily living, and work with the resident to foster an independent lifestyle. The decision to enter a group home can be a difficult one for a resident and their family members, but these group homes, when functioning properly, provide residents with the tools necessary for a high quality of life.
However, as many residents and their families unfortunately know already, group homes and their staff members do not always fulfill their duty to care for residents’ individual needs and provide the highest quality of care possible. In order to save money, many facilities hire inexperienced staff members, provide inadequate training, and maintain subpar facilities. These conditions create an environment in which abuse and neglect take place.
If you have a loved one with Down Syndrome who resides in a residential group home in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe or elsewhere in Maricopa County and believe abuse or neglect may be taking place, you should contact an Arizona group home abuse attorney to discuss your case. Pursuing action with a group home abuse attorney cannot only help you and your loved one receive justice, but it can also help to expose abusive practices and prevent more abuse from happening in the future.
About Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. Individuals with Down Syndrome tend to have lower than average cognitive ability, often ranging from mild to moderate developmental disabilities. While some individuals with mild Down Syndrome are able to live independently, others may require the additional care of a residential group home.
Duties of Group Homes
Many individuals with Down Syndrome have impaired abilities in the areas of independent living, expressive and receptive language, and self-care. Due to this, they must rely on group home administrators and staff to ensure that their medical, emotional, and social needs are met.
All group home residents with Down Syndrome must have an Individual Support Plan or Individual Service Plan (ISP) which outlines what group home staff members should be doing to provide individualized care for the patient.
Types of Abuse and Neglect
Since group home residents with Down Syndrome may have impaired cognitive skills and impaired expressive and receptive language, they may not realize if their ISP is not being followed, or may not be able to communicate to staff members if the ISP is not being followed. If staff members do not follow the ISP, as well as other legally-mandated standards of care, many types of abuse may result, including:
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Bed sores
- Incorrect medication
- Verbal abuse
- Elopement (wandering off)
Contact an Arizona Group Home Abuse Lawyer
If your child or other loved one has Down Syndrome and is a resident of a group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, and you suspect that abuse or neglect may be taking place, you should consult with an Arizona group home abuse lawyer to discuss your case. For more information, please visit http://www.grouphomeabuselawyer.com/
