As the issue of population aging intensifies, the operation and management of elderly care institutions face unprecedented challenges, accompanied by increasingly complex legal disputes. This study examined 180 legal judgments related to disputes between elderly care institutions and their residents from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, using keywords like "elderly care" and "right to life" on the China Judgment Online platform. Statistical analyses, including correlation and T-tests with SPSS 26.0, explored the relationships among case features, such as the plaintiff's health condition, dispute type, accident handling, and compensation responsibility. The results indicate that intellectually disabled individuals are more prone to high-risk behaviors, such as suicide and wandering. Elderly individuals with pre-existing illnesses or prior accidents are at a higher risk of subsequent incidents. In disputes involving sudden illnesses, many elderly did not receive timely treatment, increasing the probability of fatalities. Prompt accident discovery is foundational for timely medical intervention, and the inability to contact families may contribute to delayed responses. Compensation proportions for elderly deaths are lower, likely due to natural aging challenges and difficulties in posthumous fault determination. Legal disputes arising from accidents are more likely to result in higher compensation responsibilities due to the duty of care and safety obligations of elderly care institutions. These findings highlight the complexity of legal disputes in the elderly care sector, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures, timely medical interventions, and proactive legal responses to enhance the overall quality of care provided by elderly care institutions.

Authors:
Feng-Shuo Chang, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, China
Wanzi Li, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, China

About the Presenter(s)
Dr FENG-SHUO CHANG is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology in China

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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