Assisted living is a reality for many senior citizens who need ongoing medical care. Rarely does a family expect to deal with something so unthinkable as abuse or neglect in a certified nursing home or facility. When families come together to choose a seemingly upstanding and professional nursing home for their loved one, they never imagine that their mother, father, uncle, or grandmother might be facing intentional harm, negligence and degrading treatment. But with a statistic as alarming as 1.6 million residents facing harm each year, it is hard to ignore the possibility.

With the aging of America, the statistics on nursing home abuse are alarming. Conservative estimates state that one in every three homes in the United States will be affected in some way by abuse of an elder relative while in a nursing home. There are currently more than 17,000 registered nursing home and elder care facilities. The number is expected to rise into the millions in the next three decades. Sadly, as the number of nursing home residents increases so does the frequency of abuse.

What is nursing home abuse?

Nursing home abuse can take many forms, from basic negligence, to withholding meals or liquids, physical abuse, sexual abuse, failure to treat medical conditions, unnecessary restraint, medication errors and emotional abuse. Lack of proper supervision can cause a resident to become disoriented or injured. Physical manifestations of neglect or abuse such as dehydration, scars, or other injuries, provide tangible proof during a court case. However, cases of general neglect can be the most difficult to prove, affecting the resident's overall emotional well-being. You need an attorney who will explore all aspects of the accused nursing care facility to find hard evidence and hold the negligent or abusive workers accountable.

In most states across the country, there are problems with understaffing and, therefore, nursing homes are using under-trained and unqualified help. Without proper staffing, facilities are at a higher risk of cultivating abuse and neglect.
Not all types of elder abuse are physical and not all abuse results in visible injuries. The types of abuse and neglect that have been reported in nursing homes range from moderate to severe and include sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, extortion, psychological and emotional abuse and physical abuse. There are signs and indications of abuse that families should watch for such as any injury that cannot be promptly explained, bedsores, unusual bruises, sexually transmitted disease, out of the ordinary financial requests and sudden changes in attitude or appetite. While these signs do not always mean there is nursing home abuse or neglect present, they are indicators to watch for.

Nursing home abuse across the nation is growing at an alarming rate. If you suspect an elderly loved one is being treated badly, call now to put an end to mistreatment.

Help put an end to nursing home abuse and negligence.