Nursing home abuse is a serious problem in the United States. According to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 1 in 10 American seniors aged 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. nursing home abuse can take many different forms, from physical abuse and neglect to financial exploitation and emotional manipulation. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at what nursing home abuse is, how common it is, and what you can do to prevent it.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is any willful or negligent act that causes harm to a nursing home resident. Nursing home abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial in nature. It can also take the form of neglect, which is when a nursing home staff member fails to provide necessary care or assistance to a resident. Neglect can be just as harmful as active abuse and can often lead to serious health complications or even death.
How Common Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is all too common in the United States. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that there are more than 5 million cases of elder abuse each year. Of those victims, more than 60% are women and nearly 15% are aged 85 or older. African American and Hispanic elders are also at a higher risk for abuse than their white counterparts.
Who Is at Risk for Nursing Home Abuse?
There are many factors that can increase your risk for nursing home abuse. If you are a woman, if you live in a nursing home, if you have cognitive impairments or dementia, if you rely on someone else for your care, or if you have a history of being abused, you may be more likely to be a victim of nursing home abuse.
What Are the Different Types of Abuse?
As we mentioned above, there are many different types of abuse that can occur in nursing homes. Here are some of the most common types of abuse:
- Physical abuse: Physical abuse is any type of intentional physical force that causes injury to a nursing home resident. This can include hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, burning, biting, choking, or restraints.
- Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse is any type of verbal or nonverbal behavior that hurts and results in manipulation and control of an individual’s well-being. This can include constant critical remarks, intimidation, threats of violence, and isolated behavior such as ignoring or shunning.
- Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse is any nonconsensual sexual contact of any one type. This can include genital touches, oral contact, sexual intercourse, and rape.
- Financial exploitation: Financial exploitation is when someone illegally or improperly uses another person’s finances or finances without their permission or knowledge. This can include theft of funds or credit cards, forging a signature on financial documents, bilking money from an account carelessly or intentionally, and unauthorized withdrawals from an account.
If you suspect that someone you know is being abused in a nursing home, it’s important to speak up. Don’t hesitate to contact a Texas Nursing Home Lawyer if you witness or suspect elder abuse. You could save someone’s life! Prevention is also key when it comes to nursing home abuse. If you have an elderly loved one who lives in a nursing home, make sure to check in on them regularly and ensure that they’re being adequately cared for by the staff. By working together, we can put an end to this devastating form of elder mistreatment.