Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes
Watching our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles grow older has its own set of stresses. As those we love fall victim to the ailments of aging, we worry about our lives without them, all the while learning to provide care for them. We look to medicines, doctors, diets, vitamins—anything we can find—in hopes of keeping them healthy and happy and able to live as independently as they wish to. When finally the complications get too great, we turn to an assisted living, nursing home, or other long-term care facility to continue the thoughtful and conscientious care we are no longer able to provide.
Many of these facilities provide excellent care, however, far too many do not. Often understaffed with underpaid and poorly trained employees, many nursing homes push the bottom line so far that they endanger the lives of their patients.
How do you spot abuse or neglect?
A little knowledge can help protect your loved ones
What signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect should I be looking for?
Neglected, abused, and threatened, nursing home residents may suffer physically and emotionally. Painful bedsores, broken bones, or even premature death can result from neglectful and outright abusive treatment.
How do I choose a nursing home or long-term care facility?
What laws are protecting my loved one?
What signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect should I be looking for?
What resource do I have if I find evidence of negligent or abusive treatment?
All nursing homes and long-term care facilities that receive federal funds must comply with certain federal regulations and laws. These regulations and laws set out in detail the type and quality of care that residents in these facilities must receive. Are your family members receiving the appropriate standard of care?