Nursing home neglect and abuse is both widespread and growing.
In fact, nursing home abuse is so widespread that a survey by the American Geriatrics Society shows that almost one-third of all Americans would rather die than live in a nursing home. That is tragic!
Congress and state legislatures have taken steps to make nursing homes more accountable. The Nursing Home Reform Act requires that a nursing home "must provide services and activities to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psycho-social well-being of each resident in accordance with a written plan of care..."
There are steps you can take to be alert and prevent abuse to a loved one. But if a member of your family is abused or neglected while living in a nursing home you should call Cochran, Foley & Associates at 800-322-5543 and ask for Terry Cochran or Lynn Foley. Both possess the special knowledge needed to make sure all necessary evidence has been gathered and to determine what legal action should be taken to protect your loved one's interests.
Lynn Foley, a Registered Nurse with professional experience in the medical field, has extensive experience in handling nursing home abuse cases.
It is important to watch for signs that your loved one may be suffering abuse. With more than 1.6 million elderly and dependent adults living in nursing homes in the U.S., abuse and neglect has become widespread.
Even though some nursing homes provide good care, too many are subjecting helpless residents to needless suffering and death. Most residents in nursing homes are dependent on the staff for most or all their needs including food, water, medicine, toileting, grooming, stimulation, and turning.
Nursing home abuse
> Back To Top
Unfortunately, many residents in nursing homes today are starved, dehydrated, over-medicated, and suffer painful pressure sores. They are often isolated, ignored and deprived of social contact and stimulation. Abuse includes assault, sexual assault, unreasonable restraint, food and water deprivation, excessive dosages of medication, withholding medication, or confinement. Following are some signs of abuse:
Unexplained injuries
Inability of nursing home staff to adequately explain a resident's condition
Open wounds, cuts, bruises, welts, or bed sores
Slapping, pushing, shaking or beating
Non-verbal signs from the nursing home patient that something is wrong, such as being emotionally upset, extremely withdrawn, non-communicative, unusual behavior.
Nursing home neglect
> Back To Top Neglect means the negligent failure of any person having the care or custody of an elderly or a dependent adult to exercise the degree of care that a reasonable person in a similar position would exercise.
Neglect includes failure to: assist in personal hygiene; provide food, shelter or clothing; provide medical care; protect from hazards; prevent dehydration or malnutrition; prevent bedsores or infections; provide sanitary conditions.
Suffocation and strangulation most often occurs when nursing home patients are neglected in hospital beds. The most recent thorough study of nursing home suffocation and strangulation found that in a three-year period there were 74 reports of death from strangulation or suffocation involving hospital beds. Beyond these reported deaths, there is concern regarding the number of deaths that may go unreported each year.
Falls are the most frequent causes of fractures among the elderly. Nursing home personnel are regularly required to assess patients to determine their risk for falling, and provide safety devices and services to minimize the risk of injury to the resident.
