Making the decision to place an elderly loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility can be challenging, particularly when considering the shocking number of abuse cases.
Types of nursing home abuse
There are many different types of nursing home abuse or negligence. These may include:
- Physical abuse: This involves intentional acts of violence, such as hitting, slapping, pushing, or restraining, which cause physical pain or injury to the elderly resident.
- Emotional or psychological abuse: This type of abuse includes actions that cause emotional distress, such as yelling, insulting, belittling, humiliating, isolating, or threatening the resident. It can also involve intentionally ignoring or excluding the resident from social activities.
- Sexual abuse: Any non-consensual sexual contact with a nursing home resident is considered sexual abuse. This can include inappropriate touching, forced nudity, or sexual assault.
- Financial exploitation: This occurs when someone misuses or takes advantage of an elderly resident's financial resources, such as stealing money, forging signatures, or coercing the resident into signing over property or assets.
- Neglect: Neglect is the failure to provide adequate care, supervision, or necessary services to maintain the resident's health and well-being. Examples of neglect include not providing proper hygiene, failing to administer medication as prescribed, or not giving the resident enough food or water.
- Medication errors: Incorrect dosages, wrong medications, or improper administration of drugs can seriously harm nursing home residents and are a form of medical negligence.
- Abandonment: When a caregiver leaves a resident alone without providing for their safety, care, or medical needs, it is considered abandonment.
- Inadequate supervision: Failing to monitor residents closely, especially those who are at risk for falls or wandering, can result in injuries or other harm.
