Injuries Caused by Nursing Home Abuse
esidents remanded to nursing homes are typically unable to care for themselves. Because they cannot care for themselves, they are all too frequently victims of nursing home abuse or neglect. Life threatening injuries due to nursing home abuse or neglect are an increasing phenomenon, which will only increase with the aging population.
Abuse
Nursing home abuse is defined as any physical, psychological, verbal, or sexual abuse of a nursing home resident who is entrusted to the home's care. One or more caregivers or administrators can perpetrate abuse or neglect against one or more residents, individually or corporally. It is important to know the rights of nursing home residents so you can evaluate if abuse or neglect is going on.
Nursing home residents are often the victims of a variety of types of abuse.
- Physical abuse — All too often helpless residents are physically abused by those entrusted to care for them. Lack of adequate funds and training attract abusers in disproportionate numbers.
- Sexual abuse — Nursing home residents are susceptible to inappropriate sexual advances of sexual predators. Inadequate staffing often leaves these types of abusers alone with residents where they can victimize residents.
- Financial abuse — Outright stealing, manipulation, and fraud are all forms of financial abuse perpetrated on elderly victims. Most often perpetrated by family members, in some cases caregivers have befriended residents and had them turn over money matters to them, only to end up cleaning out their savings.
- Psychological abuse — Nursing homes often attract people with mental and emotional problems who like to torment and abuse residents. They belittle residents and verbally abuse them, causing psychological and emotional harm.
Neglect
Nursing home neglect occurs when a caregiver actively or passively withholds needed care from a nursing home resident. Injuries caused by nursing home neglect can be just as life threatening as nursing home abuse, but may be harder to detect or curtail.
Injuries
Physical injuries are the most obvious and life threatening types of injury caused by nursing home neglect or abuse. Emotional injuries are less noticeable but can be as devastating to the victim. Financial abuse can cause injury in another form; predators seek out victims and rob them of their life savings.
As the loved one of an elderly nursing home resident, you can help minimize abuse and neglect by paying attention to changes in behavior and physical appearances. Often, neglect and abuse will have some sort of outward signs of abuse warning you of potential problems. Visit frequently and vary the days and times of your visits so any abusers cannot spruce things up for your visit.
If you, or someone you love is being abused or neglected, by family members, business owners, health care workers, or medical institutions there is help. The victim may be entitled to file suit against the perpetrators and collect monetary compensation for damages. Please contact us to find an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorney in your area today.