Mistreatment of elderly patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities is an unfortunately frequent occurrence in the United States. Understanding the kinds of nursing home abuse and neglect is important for family members and friends of patients; it’s the first step towards preventing it, or catching it immediately.
Elder neglect is the failure to provide adequate care. This happens in both nursing homes and home care situations. Withholding food and medical care are prime examples. Of all nursing home abuse complaints, gross neglect makes up 14% (all of this data comes from the National Ombudsman Reporting System, or NORS). Gross neglect reveals itself in many ways: physical injuries (visible bruises and wounds), unusual weight loss, unsanitary or unsafe living conditions, dehydration, unkempt and unbathed appearance. While neglect can be unintentional (though still inexcusable), physical abuse is defined as intentional force that causes physical injury or pain. This makes up 29% of nursing home abuse complaints, and manifests in some visible signs—unexplained marks and bruising, broken eyeglasses, reports of drug overdose or failure to take medication, bedsores, broken bones, marks from restraints, sudden weight loss, dehydration, malnutrition.
Emotional abuse is another common problem in nursing homes; this happens when the staff disrespects the patients—habitual blaming, threatening, humiliation, and isolation are examples. Emotional abuse constitutes 21% of nursing home abuse complaints, and is hard to catch; if your loved one shows fear, anger, or depression around certain people, there could be something going on under the surface. Sexual abuse of nursing home patients is more rare, but no less troublesome. It includes non-consensual contact of a sexual nature, showing an elderly person pornography, or forcing the elder to disrobe. Visible signs of this abuse are bruises around the breasts or genitals, unexplained sexually transmitted diseases, etc.
Financial fraud is actually more common in home care than in nursing homes, but still accounts for 7% of nursing home abuse claims. It happens when there’s an unauthorized use of an elderly person’s assets; new loans or mortgages, unusual withdrawals from bank accounts, revisions of wills and trusts are all possible signs of financial exploitation. Finally, a growing area of abuse, which affects the entire economy as well as individual patients, is healthcare fraud. Kickbacks, over and under medicating, medicaid fraud, redundant services; all of these are healthcare fraud, occurring in nursing homes far too often.
More than 30% of nursing homes in the country experience some form of resident abuse. If you believe a loved one has been abused or neglected at a nursing home, contact Mike Agruss Law, at 312-224-4695 for a free consultation. Mike Agruss Law, represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect throughout Illinois. We will handle your case quickly, advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you. This litigation strategy will provide you with the best possible compensation. Plus, Mike Agruss Law, does not get paid attorney’s fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple.
Therefore, you have nothing to risk when you hire our firm—just the opportunity to seek justice. Protect your loved one’s rights by contacting us today.
