I'm Suspecting Nursing Home Abuse: What Should I Do?

When you put a loved one in a nursing home, you do it because you are entrusting the facility with their care, health, and safety. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes or nursing home staff live up to this ideal, and sometimes situations turn abusive. Nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious problem that threatens the health, safety, and well-being of residents. It is critical to report suspected nursing home abuse to protect residents.

How Abuse in a Nursing Home Occurs

Nursing home abuse and neglect often result from a breakdown in the system. One of the most significant causes of both neglect and abuse is understaffing. When there are too few attendants, they try to cut corners to manage their workload. The result is that residents are often neglected. Additionally, the staff, feeling overwhelmed, becomes less patient and easily agitated. This is a recipe for both neglect and abuse. The staff needs to evaluate residents upon arrival, develop a care plan, monitor the execution of the care plan, and, if necessary, amend the care plan as they see fit. This requires a full, trained staff.

Sign of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home abuse may encompass a variety of actions, not only physical abuse. Obviously, physical abuse of an elderly or vulnerable person is a dire emergency, but many types of abuse are more insidious.

• Neglect happens when a caregiver fails to provide for a victim’s basic needs, such as food or hygiene.
• Emotional abuse occurs when staff insult, threaten, or otherwise harass or bully residents to the point of causing emotional distress.
• Financial abuse is when a nursing home steals a resident’s money through scams, coercion, or manipulation.
• Sexual abuse can occur in nursing homes, particularly with vulnerable residents such as those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Some red flags to look for that might suggest nursing home abuse include physical injuries such as burns or bruises, poor nutrition or dehydration, fear, anxiety, or depression.

How to Report Nursing Home Abuse

If you suspect a resident is the victim of nursing home abuse, document all evidence that you may see. This helps to provide evidence of ongoing abuse in any criminal case or disciplinary action that may be taken against the nursing home or its staff. Take notes of any changes in your loved one’s behavior, any comments they may have made about mistreatment or photos of signs of physical abuse or neglect. Once you have documented your suspicions, you have a number of options through which to report suspected nursing home abuse.

• You may want to question nursing home staff or administrators about your concerns as a first step. If those in charge of the facility don’t adequately address your concerns, further action may be required.
• Doctors or other medical experts may be a good first step if you suspect abuse. In many cases, subtle signs such as frequent falls or bruising may simply be the result of the normal aging process. Asking a doctor can help determine whether injuries are innocent or possible signs of abuse.
• Law enforcement or your state’s Adult Protective Services are primary options to report, particularly if the suspected abuse may constitute criminal activity. Call 911 if you think a resident may be in immediate danger.
• Your state’s ombudsman advocates for nursing home residents in disputes between residents and facilities and recommends changes in laws and regulations if they see a need.

How to Protect Your Loved One in the Future

If you suspect a loved one is the victim of abuse in a nursing home or similar setting, the first thing you should do is take immediate steps to protect their safety. If possible, try to move your loved one to an alternative facility if the abuse may be widespread in the facility rather than the actions of one or a few of its staff. Report suspected abuse, and consider contacting an elder abuse attorney. Click roothlawfirm.com for more information on how an attorney may be able to pursue a lawsuit against a nursing home that has allowed or encouraged abuse.