| Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect has become a scary | | | | verbal or nonverbal acts. It can be verbal |
| epidemic found in many countries. An elderly | | | | assaults, insults, threats, intimidation, |
| person needs constant attention and is | | | | humiliation, and/or harassment. In addition, |
| therefore, entrusted to a nursing home which | | | | it is considered abuse to treat a capable |
| is supposed to take care of their needs. | | | | resident as an child, giving the resident a |
| Residents at these nursing homes are paying | | | | "silent treatment", or isolating them from |
| for the service and receive a very poor | | | | his/her family, friends, or even regular |
| service in return. Their needs are ignored | | | | activities. |
| and they are not treated with respect. Some | | | | |
| might even die because of negligence. This | | | | Neglect This is defined as the refusal by the |
| unfortunately has been growing and it can be | | | | worker to fulfill his or her obligations to |
| very hard to prove this abuse. It is usually | | | | the resident of a nursing home. It includes |
| covered up by the staff at nursing homes. | | | | failing to give necessary care such as food, |
| | | | water, fresh clothing, personal hygiene, |
| There have been plenty of research done | | | | medicine, safety or even comfort. |
| privately and by the government about the | | | | |
| danger and abuse that people can suffer in a | | | | Abandonment, is also very serioius. |
| nursing home. In 1997, Time Magazine | | | | Abandonment is basicly the desertion of a |
| suggested that as many as 35,000 Americans | | | | nursing home resident by a nursing home |
| were dying before their time, or suffering | | | | worker who has assumed responsibility for |
| unnecessary pain. | | | | providing care for the resident in question. |
| | | | |
| There are different types of abuse: | | | | Financial or Material Exploitation This is |
| | | | the illegal or improper use of funds, |
| Physical Abuse This causes a body injury, | | | | property or assets of a nursing home |
| physical pain, or impairment. Some of the | | | | resident. It can be cashing a resident's |
| more common practices of physical abuse | | | | checks without permission, forging a |
| include striking, with or without an object, | | | | signature, stealing money or any other |
| hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, | | | | belonging, deceiving so that a resident may |
| slapping, kicking, pinching, and also | | | | sign any document (contracts or will), and |
| burning. There is also the unnessessary use | | | | the improper use of guardianship, or power of |
| of drugs and physical restraints, | | | | attorney. |
| force-feeding, and physical punishment that | | | | |
| also fall under the physical abuse criteria. | | | | There have been plenty of lawsuits to combat |
| | | | these people who take advantage of the most |
| Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is a nonconsensual | | | | vulnerable. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse |
| sexual contact of any kind with a nursing | | | | is still a threat today and it must be acted |
| home resident. Sexual abuse can be anything | | | | upon. The message must be sent that these |
| from unwanted touching, sexual assault, rape, | | | | crimes will not go unpunished. If you or |
| sodomy, coerced nudity or even nude | | | | anyone you know has encountered any of these |
| photography. | | | | types of abuses, it is imperative to file a |
| | | | complaint in order to prevent any further |
| Emotional or Psychological Abuse This is | | | | abuse from taking place. |
| inflicting anguish, pain, or distress through | | | | |