Nursing Home Abuse

Kinds of Nursing Home Abuse

• Bedsores – There is no excuse for any elderly person to ever have a bedsore. If you or someone you love develops a bedsore call us today. No matter what you are told, proper care of elderly or disabled persons should prevent bedsores.
• Malnutrition – Nursing homes and assisted living facilities should provide balanced nutrition for the elderly and disabled individuals. There is no excuse for malnutrition in a nursing home setting.
• Physical Abuse – Physical abuse is never appropriate. It is often difficult for seniors or disabled persons to report physical abuse. Documentation of physical abuse is important as well as reporting and seeking legal representation.
• Slips and Falls – Slips and falls should be prevented by proper procedures and care within an assisted living facility. Often slips and falls could be used an excuse to cover up physical abuse or other problems. If you or someone you love has slipped and fallen in a nursing home or other assisted living facility it may have been caused by carelessness on the part of the facility.
• Over-medication/Under-medication – It is important that those who have been entrusted to the care of a nursing home or assisted living facility be given proper medical care. This includes medications. Medication protocols should be strictly adhered to. If medication is not properly administered when needed then harm can be caused as well.
• Sexual Abuse – Any unwanted physical contact could be abuse. Sexual abuse is extremely harmful and should be reported immediately. Elder sexual abuse can span a wide range of harms including inappropriate touching or inappropriately forcing a person to undress. Sexual abuse does not always involve touching however. If an activity causes an elder or disabled person to be uncomfortable it should be reported and investigated for possible sexual abuse. If you suspect that you or someone you love is the victim of sexual abuse always report it to the proper authorities and consult with legal counsel to determine your rights.
• Negligent Care – Many types of harm done to elderly people and disabled persons is the result of a failure to care for the individual. This can present itself in a wide variety of ways. Individuals with specific or special needs are especially susceptible to negligent care. If a person has a broken bone or a condition such as diabetes, they will require specialized care. If they are not given the care needed, they are a victim of negligence abuse.
• Emotional Abuse – Many times abuse may not be physical. Emotional and psychological abuse are still abuse. Threatening, demeaning or cruel behavior towards and elderly person or disabled individual is never appropriate.
• Financial Abuse – Financial abuse can present itself in several ways, but it always involves the exploitation of the individual. Unexplained charges, unpaid bills, requests for payment or other support are all signs of potential financial abuse.
• Multiple Abuse Cases – Usually abuse and neglect can cover several of the areas discussed above. If abuse in any area is discovered, an assessment should be completed to discover whether there is abuse present in any other area. Victims of abuse may feel uncomfortable talking about abuse out of embarrassment or fear. It is important to understand that the victim of abuse is not responsible for the abuse, but has rights which need to be protected.