Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing homes are entrusted with caring for loved ones when they can no longer care for themselves, but too often the trust families place in nursing homes is broken. There are almost 1.5 million nursing home residents, and over 20% of residents experience at least one instance of nursing home abuse.[1] This rate of abuse is inexcusable. Nursing homes have a legal obligation and duty to provide quality care to residents.
If your loved one has experienced abuse in a nursing home, Counsel Hound can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation and case evaluation.
Nursing Home Abuse Statistics
The CDC reports that 1 in 10 people aged 60+ experience some form of abuse, and other studies estimate as many as 5 million elders are abused each year.[2] Elders who experience abuse have a 300% higher risk of death than elders who are not mistreated.[3] The CDC notes that nursing home abuse is often underestimated and underreported.[4]
Common Forms Of Nursing Home Abuse
Physical Abuse is using physical to inflict injury, pain, or impairment.[5]
Sexual Abuse is any non-consensual sexual contact with an elder.
Emotional Abuse is inflicting distress or pain through verbal or non-verbal acts.
Financial Abuse is the unauthorized use of an elder’s funds or assets.
Neglect is failing to complete any obligations or duties to an elder.
- Deliberate physical harm.
- Slapping, pushing, kicking,
- Inappropriate restraining (e.g., beds or wheelchairs),
- Medical sedation not prescribed by a doctor,
- Falls.
- Demeaning or ridiculing residents.
- Forcing residents into social isolation.
- Preventing family, friends, and fellow residents from visiting.
- Using threatening language to make the resident comply.
- Unauthorized use of money and banking.
- Forging an elder’s signature or coercing them into signing a financial document.
- Theft of property or money.
- Sexual abuse is any unwanted sexual contact, including rape, fondling, forced nudity, sexual photography, etc.
- Poor hygiene maintenance.
- Insufficient or lack of oral/dental care, bathing, etc.
- Bedsores.
- Medical-related negligence.
- Improper or lack of physical exercise.
- Ignoring prescribed wound care.
- Not giving prescribed medications according to schedule.
- Ignoring basic needs.
- Malnutrition or dehydration.
Signs Of Nursing Home Abuse
- Injuries.
- Bruises, rope marks, broken or fractured bones, etc.
- Signs of being restrained.
- Unexplained bruising.
- Rope burns or marks.
- Missing or broken medical devices.
- Walker, dentures, eyeglasses, hearing aids.
- Laboratory results indicating overdose or underutilization of prescribed drugs.
- Caregiver refusing to allow the elder to be alone with visitors.
- Sudden or unusual changes in the elder’s behavior.
- Bruising of breasts or genital area.
- Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases (STIs).
- Underclothing that is stained, torn, or bloody.
- Sudden or unusual changes in the elder’s behavior, including new fears of specific caregivers.
- Withdrawal from normal activities or passions.
- Unusual social isolation or a decrease in regular communication.
- Strained relationships with caregivers, fellow residents, family, or friends with no explanation
- Behavior change
- Overly aggressive or compliant.
- Overly aggressive or compliant.
- Sudden changes in banking.
- Unexplained withdrawal of money.
- New names added to banking information.
- Unauthorized transfer of assets.
- Changes to financial documents.
- Unpaid bills despite financial resources.
- Signatures on documents that the elder does not recall signing.
Preventing Nursing Home Abuse
It is essential to understand the institutional risk factors that may put your elderly loved one at risk.[6]
- Does not run proper background checks for staff.
- Has a high staff turnover rate.
- Does not have administrative supervision.
- Has a history of abuse.
- Understanding the signs of abuse in elders.
- Researching potential nursing homes for risk factors or histories of abuse.
- Checking in on their loved one regularly via visits or phone calls.
FAQs
REFERENCES
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/nursing-home-care.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/elderabuse/fastfact.html
- https://www.ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-elder-abuse
- https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/elderabuse/fastfact.html
- https://www.apa.org/pi/prevent-violence/resources/elder-abuse
- https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/elder-abuse/prevention/
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