The elderly are placed in nursing homes to get better care that isn’t possible at home, but today we live in frightening times when the elderly do not receive better care. In fact there is sometimes abuse that happens at elderly facilities. Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in the abuse of nursing homes worldwide.
The abuse at nursing homes has increased to such an extent that lawmakers have to make a separate law about nursing home abuse. Today, many law offices provide their services to represent the elderly facing this abuse and to fight the nursing staff and administrators of these nursing homes.
This article will discuss the possible causes and factors that lead to abuse cases in nursing homes. It will also discuss the symptoms that can help you identify the victim of nursing home abuse in the patients.
What Is Considered Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is negligence that caregivers put on patients who need long-term care, such as failing to provide the needed care to the patient. Nursing home abuse can also take the form of physical, emotional, or psychological abuse including emotional injury or sexual assault.
Why Is There Abuse In Nursing Homes?
There is no specific cause of nursing home abuse, yet there are factors that lead to the abuse. Most of the time, poor administration, untrained nursing staff, or the shortage of nursing staff can create environments where abuse is able to repeatedly happen. Administration that poorly manages the nursing home or is involved in internal wrongdoings can lead to frustrated nursing staff who carry out the abuse on their elderly patients who don’t have the resources to fight back. Regardless of the circumstances, it is wholly unethical to behave rudely or to abuse elderly patients.
Are All Nursing Homes Abusive?
Nursing homes are responsible for taking care of elderly patients and providing them with medicinal facilities, physical therapy, food, and help in other activities. But some of the times, these nursing homes have found to be extremely abusive. Around 40% of the patients faced direct abuse while living in the nursing homes whereas 90% of the nursing home residents have faced negligence in the nursing homes. Still, many of the abuse cases are unreported.
What Are The Factors Of Nursing Home Abuse?
Many factors can add up to the risks of facing nursing home abuse. Any patient or resident can go through this traumatic abuse, but primarily women suffering from any memory disorder like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease face it more.
Family and friends should be aware that elderly abuse can happen and be on the lookout for it. Friends and family can detect an early stage of abuse by keeping a keen eye on their patients, so visiting your patient regularly is very important to avoid any harm or abuse to them by caregivers.
Environmental Factors That Lead To Abuse
Although there is no specific reason to nursing home abuse, sometimes environmental factors may lead to abuse in the nursing homes. The following are some of the environmental factors that lead to nursing home abuse:
Poor Management of Nursing Homes
If the nursing is not managed properly or there is more workload on the nursing staff with minimal pay, the staff often burn out and take their frustration out onto the elderly patients. Sometimes irresponsible management can also lead to abuse in nursing homes.
Small Facilities
Patients living in small nursing homes are more subjected to the abuse than those living in larger facilities. It happens because in the smaller facilities, more people are living together and might disagree on certain things. Over time these disagreements can grow and turn into actual abuse.
How Often Does Nursing Home Abuse Occurs?
Patients and elders are shifted to nursing homes for better care and carrying out their activities smoothly, but at the same time, we have heard many cases of nursing home abuse. Nursing home abuse has affected many patients over the globe. The exact statistics of the abuse in a nursing home are not completely known. But there is a need for more research on it to know about the frequency of the occurrence of nursing home abuse.
What Are The Main Types Of Nursing Home Abuse?
Abuse in nursing home is common nowadays. Though each case differs, here are some of the main types of nursing home abuse:
Sexual Abuse
This abuse includes any sexual harassment or activity. Women mainly face this abuse.
Financial Abuse
Money and things of patients getting stolen by caregivers. This abuse mainly occurs with patients who have memory problems.
Physical Abuse
Pushing, kicking, hitting patients, or handling with carelessness come under physical abuse. It could lead to physical injuries.
Emotional Abuse
Not letting the resident or patient meet their families and friends, screaming, or taunting elderly patients is emotional abuse.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse?
Each type of abuse has different symptoms, but some general signs and symptoms are listed below:
- Bruises
- Bedsores
- Malnutrition
- Dirty clothes and sheets
- Trauma
- PTSD and STD’s
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fractured bones
- Cuts, wounds, or lacerations on the skin
- Unreasonable weight loss
- New infections
- Suicidal actions and thoughts
Reporting Nursing Home Abuse
Any abuse should be reported as early as possible. Nursing home abuse can be reported against nursing home administration, caregivers, medical staff, or other residents. Many agencies and organizations are working for the providence of justice to the client against any abuse.
The Law Office of Matthew Shrum
The Law Office of Matthew Shrum is a law office in Austin, Texas that is dedicated to fighting nursing home abuse. Our lawyers are fully qualified and trained to identify this abuse and provide the best legal representation possible to right the wrongs done by nursing homes. If you know a loved one who is suffering from nursing home abuse, do not wait until it gets more serious. Contact The Law Office of Matthew Shrum today to fight this nursing home abuse.