Nursing Home Abuse
Each year in the United States there are over one million reports of elder abuse by nursing home staff. This number is growing rapidly due to the expansion of elder population in the US. Approximately 34 million people who are now over the age of 65 need assisted living services. According to numerous studies reported by the National Center for Elder Abuse the most common type of elder abuse is the general neglect of basic needs. The second most common type is intentional abuse including physical, mental and sexual abuse.
General neglect occurs when the staff has a lack of interest for the well being of the elderly by not providing basic necessities such as food, water and shelter. This form of neglect can also lead to more serious forms of disorders such as bed sores. Bed sores are ulcers caused by a constant amount of pressure on a specific area of the body. Bed sores vary in severity often first appearing as persistent red areas on the skin. If left untreated, these sores can develop ulcers that reach the muscle, bone or tendon. The elderly have a higher risk of developing bed sores due to thin skin, malnutrition and poor circulation. This type of neglect is easily preventable, but reversing the damage becomes increasingly difficult if bed sores are left untreated.
Intentional abuse of nursing home residents by a staff member or other resident includes physical, mental and even sexual abuse.
- Physical abuse may be one of the most visible types of violations seen. This type of abuse is often seen in the form of bruises, broken bones and cuts.
- Mental Abuse in nursing homes is harder to uncover due to the fact it cannot be visibly seen by family members. This form of abuse can be just as harsh as physical abuse and occurs when there is verbal harassment, intentional neglect and isolation from friends and family.
- Sexual abuse in nursing homes can be forced by staff members or other residents in the facility. These types of incidents range from sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal), inappropriate photography or forced nudity.
When faced with nursing home abuse, residents and family member are often left feeling confused and angry over the violation of trust by these facilities. Consulting a nursing home abuse attorney who specializes in uncovering abuse can help you regain your power by protecting your legal rights.
Nursing Home Abuse News
- Nursing Homes Continue to Use Inappropriate Anti-Psychotic Drugs According to the Boston Globe’s recent analysis, about 2,500 nursing home residents in Massachusetts were given powerful antipsychotic drugs last year that were not appropriate for their medical condition. In many cases, the medications were given due to the lack of behavior management techniques, experience or manpower in nursing homes to handle agitated patients. This trend of increased antipsychotic drug use is very worrisome because a large number of nursing home residents suffer from dementia. Dementia patients taking antipsychotic drugs, also known as psychotropic drugs, have an increased risk of death. Psychotropic drugs are intended to treat patients with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Officials in the Massachusetts Senior Care Association state that the state’s rank of frequency of use of psychotropic drugs, 12th in the nation, points to a need for more training in nursing homes. As Robert Stern, an Alzheimer’s specialist and brain ....
- Nursing Home Drug Abuse Lloyd Berkley was a nursing home resident who, according to his nurse, became very angry and combative shortly after his admission to the nursing home. As a result, the nurse administered a psychotropic medication known as Haldol to sedate Mr. Berkley. Mr. Berkley was not psychotic, and Haldol is used primarily to treat schizophrenia and acute psychotic states. Shortly after the drug was injected, Mr. Berkley fell asleep. Upon waking up, he fell and struck his head on a fan. Two days later, he died from bleeding in his brain. Mr. Berkley’s case highlights a disturbing trend at nursing homes today: nursing home residents improperly receiving psychotropic drugs which lead them to fall and suffer serious injuries and sometimes death. Nursing Homes and Psychotropic Medication Injuries Psychotropic drugs affect the central nervous system and cause changes in behavior or perception, and are generally used to treat psychotic conditions. The Chicago Tribune recently reported that ....
- A Feline Harbinger of Death In the story of Oscar the cat lies a temporary light-hearted break with the serious nature of our blog: Residents at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, have their very own grim reaper...in the form of a feline. Oscar the cat displays an uncanny accuracy in predicting death of the residents on the third floor dementia unit of the nursing home. He has been accurate in 25 cases, beating even a doctor in his predictions of death. Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, an expert in terminal illness care, had predicted the death one patient. which turned out to be ten hours too early. Oscar wouldn't stay in the room until some hours later, when the patient had two hours left to live. Most of the families appreciate Oscar's accuracy in allowing them to say a final farewell to their loved ones. Although the cat recently received a wall plaque commending his "compassionate hospice care", animal experts say that his behavior could be driven by a ....
- Nursing Home Abuse "While the traditional view of elder abuse in nursing homes involves staff harming residents, new research suggests residents may have more to fear from their peers..." Read the full article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19712822/from/ET/ ....