What Is Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence?

March 28th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

Various types of elder abuse are universally recognized as nursing home abuse and negligence.  These include:

Physical or Drug Abuse:

  • Hitting, burning, kicking or restraining an elderly person;
  • Imprisonment or confinement;
  • Providing the patient with an overdose of medication or the wrong prescription

Psychological Abuse:

  • Verbal abuse to intimidate an elderly person;
  • Constant ridicule or criticizing to humiliate them;
  • Ignoring the patient to induce feelings of insignificance

Financial Abuse:

  • Illegal or unauthorized use of their valuables;
  • Fraudulent obtainment of power of attorney

Sexual Abuse:

  • Forcing an elderly person to engage in sexual activities or conversations against their will

Negligence

  • Depriving an elderly person of food, water, heat, clothing or necessary medication

With more than 1.5 million elderly persons residing in assisted living facilities today, nursing home abuse and negligence is on the rise.  Simply put, many nursing homes fall short of the quality care and individualized attention they promise to provide loved ones.  Nursing home negligence lawyers believe these incidents will only continue to rise as the ratio of elderly patients to caregivers grows.  Needless to say, it is a troubling reality for the families and friends of patients living in nursing homes.

Another distressing realization is the number of nursing homes that have been reported for abuse and negligence.  To date, one third of all nursing homes in America have been cited.  Given this number merely represents reported incidents required by law, it’s truly unbelievable what false expectations we having for nursing homes.  Imagine how many cases of abuse and negligence are not being reported!  After all, it’s in the best interest of the nursing home to keep these incidents under wraps.

This is why talking to a nursing home negligence attorney can be critical, if you feel a friend or family member has fallen victim to abuse. Taking legal action against these facilities will send a clear message.  Nursing home abuse and negligence is not to be tolerated.

There Are 4 Responses So Far. »

  1. Pingback by nursing on 31 March 2008:

    […] hhttp://www.dailycampus.com/news/2008/03/28/News/Test-Scores.Slipping.For.Nursing-3292491.shtmlWhat Is Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence?Various types of elder abuse are universally recognized as nursing home abuse and negligence. These […]

  2. Comment by cheryl on 13 September 2008:

    i see the neglect everyday i go see my dad. the home is far more worried about cosmectic of appearence then the patients. beware of such false appearences. do not go at the same time everyday.

  3. Comment by darlene davis on 19 November 2011:

    what do you think about a 96-year old blind women living in a nursing home that does not help her eat her meals, she eats with her fingers. And, she has fallen and it her head trying to go to the bathroom by her self. What is this called, is it neglect or abuse?

  4. Comment by lynette on 29 November 2011:

    my name is lynette. the worse kind of neglect is what they did to my dad. my father had a stroke that he that he was recovering from. the problem was he asperated which means the food dont digest right. so the hospital put a feeding tube in. there is a 10cc balloon that holds the tube in place, well some one at the nursing home desided that this tube neede flushed. unfortunitly she flushed the wrong side. the 10cc balloon now has 100cc of fluid in it. guess what it explode and all of his intestins were destoyed. he now is in shock and on a ventalator. i need an attorney to help with this. now this is negligence.

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