Interesting commentary from Dr. Salvatore Pizzuro, a Disability Policy Specialist, who holds a doctorate in Developmental Disabilities from Columbia University and an advanced degree in Disability Law from New York Law School.
During recent weeks and months, the subject of abuse and neglect of adults with developmental disabilities in group homes, nursing homes, and other residential facilities has been well publicized. Often, the abuse of such individuals occurs by low-paid workers in such environments who are angry about job conditions and salary. According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, residential facilities:
"...are profit-driven businesses and during tough economic times good business practice and quality control can suffer in favor of short-sighted profits, quotas, and corner cutting. Businesses in trouble do not generally announce this; rather, they simply cover their tracks as best as they can. Cutbacks in hours and wages have a great impact on employee attitudes, which can easily translate to mistreatment, neglect, and even abuse..."
In addition, there appears to be a very weak screening process for examining the background of such workers. In fact, it is possible for someone with a criminal record to complete the background check process and become a caregiver to vulnerable individuals in residential settings.
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