What are the Different Types of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse?
What are some signs that nursing home abuse and neglect could be occurring?
How Prevalent is Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse?
How Can I Choose a Safe Nursing Home?
If I suspect nursing home neglect and abuse, what do I do?
What are the Different Types of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse?
• Physical Abuse: Hitting, pushing, shoving, grabbing, choking
• Emotional Abuse: Screaming, threats, shame, embarrassment, jeering
• Sexual Abuse: inappropriate touching, making them undress while watching, rape or forcing the person to watch sex, sexual harassment
• Abandonment: not providing good nutrition, not answering quickly when they need something, keeping them confined to their rooms, ignoring the elder
• Financial Abuse: steals money, forging the senior’s signature, identity theft, stealing credit cards
• Healthcare Abuse: overcharging for healthcare services, giving too much medication, charging for medical services that were not provided
What are some signs that nursing home abuse and neglect could be occurring?
• Bed Sores
• Changes in personality or mood
• Unexplained bruises, broken bones, scabs, infections
• Genital Discomfort, bleeding in the vaginal area
• Inadequate staff
• Mysterious changes in a will
• Losing weight, undernourished
• Bad personal hygiene, dirty and unkempt
• Disoriented or confused
• Agitation or distressed
• Torn clothing or broken glasses, bloody clothes
• Rocking back and forth, sucking their thumb
• Employees not granting visitors
How Prevalent is Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse?
It is more common than you think. There are thousands of nursing home facilities in the United States, and as much as 50 percent of the deaths which occurred in nursing homes were attributed to neglect or abuse. Most nursing home neglect is the result of understaffed and underpaid employees.
How Can I Choose a Safe Nursing Home?
Placing your loved one in the care of someone else is a stressful decision for everyone involved. You want to find a facility that will take care of them and is a safe environment. There are a few things that you can do to help find the best possible nursing home for your family member:
• If possible, get a center which is close to your location, so you can visit often
• Ask for information from reliable sources. Doctors, pastors, hospital staff, or reviews on the internet can help tell you which facilities are top-notch
• Ask the nursing center questions. When visiting the nursing center, ask them about their policies and procedures.
• Make sure the nursing home is accredited
• Check their rating
If I suspect nursing home neglect and abuse, what do I do?
If you suspect a nursing home of neglect or abuse, a report should be filed promptly. There is a phone number that you can call to report elderly abuse. These numbers can refer you to the proper place to get help. There are also many lawyers who specialize in nursing home neglect and abuse. In addition, a doctor can give good advice when nursing home abuse is suspected.
Nursing Home Abuse F.A.Q.
