LANSING — Protecting vulnerable adults living in nursing facilities is the focus of a new initiative announced by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The Sentinel Project will use specially trained staff to examine long-term care facilities for evidence of abuse or neglect through unannounced visits, the attorney general’s office announced Monday. The unannounced visits will be determined by complaints, performance metrics and other data.
The site investigations will be used to determine if additional action is necessary to ensure the best care possible for residents, Nessel’s office explained.
According to the attorney general’s office, The Sentinel Project will help the state prepare for a projected influx of individuals who will require assistance in nursing facilities. That’s based off the Population Reference Bureau data projecting the senior population in the United States to reach over 90 million by 2060. The increase in older adults is often referred to as the Silver Tsunami.
The attorney general’s office says that even though The Sentinel Project is a law enforcement effort within their office, the project will work collaboratively with industry and regulatory partners.
If you know someone being abused or neglected in a nursing facility, contact the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Hotline at (800) 24-ABUSE (2-2873) or file a complaint online.
