Abuse in Nursing Homes

Hundreds of people are put in nursing homes each year. Many have no family, or their families simply cannot take care of them. And so they put their trust and faith into a facility that they hope will care for them. There are nearly 17,000 nursing homes across our country, and most are funded by Medicare.Studies have shown that over 40% of these homes have been involved in some kind of abuse to their residents. Have of the 17,000 facilities are understaffed. One third of nursing homes have been cited for hazardous conditions that can lead to abuse.

66% of nursing home residents have Alzheimer’s. This leads to many residents being unable to report or be credible for reporting abuse. Forms of abuse are verbal, physical,sexual and neglect. Verbal abuse is widespread and leads to emotional abuse;verbal abuse also includes threatening which is very common. I have witnessed the fear of elderly. An elderly neighbor of mine is terrified of bill collectors to the point of tears, she believes everything that anyone tells her. As you can imagine, being threatened in the very place you live can be scary. There have been reports of physical abuse to the extreme of broken bones, bedsores, or even death. The bed soars are a result of leaving the elderly in their beds  or leaving their sheets wet and soiled for days on end. Many face dehydration and malnutrition due to the fact of neglect in their homes.

There was a case in Texas of an 84 year old man who was beaten to death in his bed by an employee of the nursing home.Another case involved a certified nurse beating one of the residents at the nursing home she worked at with a clipboard. There have been multiple reported cases of abuse in a Minnesota nursing home. Six residents were sexually, verbally, and physically abused. One died before the report was made.

It is sad that we leave our loved ones in these homes with the faith that those who work their will take over where we can’t. We are in essence leaving the life of our loved one with them. -Their life, happines, and wellbeing. The tragedy is that this is often not the case, and we are taking a risky chance in this decision. So what do you do? Do not be persuaded by the seemingly glamour of the facility or the price. Price should not be a factor when thinking of care for your loved one.Try getting suggestions from others who have their loved ones in care and visit different facilities. Make sure and visit at different times of the day for the same facility to ensure that the staff and care is in good quality at all times.Pay close attention to the staff as well as the residents. Observe if they seem happy and talkative or uptight and unhappy. Observe the residents at meal time. Do the residents seem well fed? Try to sample the food. Is the facility clean?

When suspecting abuse to a loved one check for visible bruises, cuts etc. Ask them, the attending physician, and attending nurse about the incident.Check their bathrooms and rooms or cleanliness. Look out for odors on their beds,clothes, and themselves.Have they lost weight? Do they seem depressed? These are all things to consider when suspecting abuse.Seek legal council if you suspect abuse, there are many advocates and agencies to assist you.