Spot Nursing Home Abuse

It’s not unusual for American families with seniors or dependent adults to rely upon the help of a caregiving facility — according to data from 2009 and 2010, there are 16,639 nursing homes and 52,681 assisted living facilities across the U.S., with 3.2 million people living in them.

Unfortunately, it’s also not unusual for these long-term care facility residents to experience some form of abuse. Data from one survey of nursing home residents done in 2000 showed 44% had been abused, and 95% said they had been neglected, or had seen another resident neglected. Although the types of elder abuse vary, they all inflict some kind of pain or discomfort on a patient, either through intentional actions or inactions.

Data from the National Ombudsman Reporting System in 2010 shows of all reported incidents:

27% are physical abuse
22.5% are psychological or emotional abuse
18% are resident to resident abuse
14.5% are neglected
11% are financial exploitation
7% are sexual abuse

It may be harder to notice if nursing home residents are victims of neglect because physical signs may not appear right away. However, over time, some signs of neglect may manifest as:

Persistent infections
Untreated wounds
Bedsores
Dehydration
Sudden weight loss
Malnutrition
Poor hygiene
Wrongful death

There are different types of neglect, including:

Nutritional: food or water is withheld or altered in amount.
Medical: when medication is withheld or dosages altered.
Social: the resident is not able to socialize with others or see guests.
Hygienic: when the resident or their personal space is not kept clean and sanitary.
Environmental neglect: when a safe living environment for the resident is not provided.

If a nursing home resident is involved in giving or receiving any kind of sexual act they did not consent to, they are a victim of sexual abuse.

While caregivers are often the abusers in the case of sexual abuse, sexual abuse in a nursing home can also occur between two residents.

Signs of Sexual Abuse

If a resident is a victim of sexual abuse, they may shy away from telling family members or loved ones. However, there are often some physical signs that reveal the abuse, including:

Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases or infections
Ripped or bloody underclothing
Bruises on the breasts, inner thighs, buttocks or genitalia

Examples of Sexual Abuse

Oral sex
Anal sex
Vaginal sex
Sodomy
Masturbation
Manual stimulation
Touching or grabbing another person’s genitals
Exposing one’s genitals to another person

In addition to these acts, sexual abuse of an elder can also include:

Creating pornography, such as taking nude or staged video or pictures of a resident
Unwanted kissing
Sexual harassment such as making lewd comments or threatening a resident with an unwanted sexual act

Detecting financial abuse is easier for family members or loved ones who have access to a person’s finances, but others may still be able to uncover exploitation, even if they don’t have access.

Signs of Financial Abuse

Missing financial documents
Sudden withdrawals from bank accounts
Unexpected overdraft charges from bank accounts
Small thefts of toiletries or other belongings
Large thefts or sales of a resident’s valuable belongings, such as jewelry or vehicles
Some examples of financial abuse include:

Examples of Financial Abuse

Forging signatures
Adding names to a resident’s bank accounts
Cashing checks without their permission
Improper use of conservatorship, guardianship or power of attorney
Selling property, such as jewelry, car or home, without their permission
Depriving a resident access to their bank accounts, property or benefits

Do you know someone who has been a victim of Financial or Sexual Abuse? Contact us today for a free consultation.

Perhaps you noticed unusual bruises on your mother when you recently visited her at her nursing facility. Or maybe you narrowly averted disaster by discovering a pharmaceutical error at an assisted living center. In either case, you’re likely feeling angry, confused and scared about the situation.

We trust nursing homes to protect seniors we love from harm, to ensure their wellness and to treat them with dignity and kindness.

Yet violations of such custodial duties occur horrifically often. Per the National Center on Elder Abuse:

“One study interviewing 2,000 nursing home residents reported that 44% said they had been abused and 95% said they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected.”

“Elders who experienced abuse, even modest abuse, had a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who had not been abused.”

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Do you have questions about the care a loved one is getting? Get answers today.

Phyiscal Edler Abuse & Neglect

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

Emotional and Psychological Abuse in Nursing Homes

Sexual Abuse

Taking Action Against Nursing Home Abuse