The Problem of Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

 Posted on July 11, 2019 in Physical Abuse

If you have a loved one who is currently living in a nursing home, you expect that the facility will provide a high level of care based on your loved one’s needs. Many nursing home residents, as you probably know, are already dealing with a wide range of physical, mental, or behavioral conditions that necessitate the around-the-clock care that nursing homes provide. For some residents, however, things are made even more difficult. Sadly, physical abuse is not unheard of in nursing homes, and such abuse can be extremely serious.

Physical Abuse by Staff Members

It is no secret that staffing is a problem in many nursing homes. Chronic understaffing has long been associated with significant drops in employee morale, as well as concerns regarding proper training and patient care protocols. In short, far too many nursing homes are left with staff members who are overworked, underpaid, and, often, ill-equipped to handle their patients. Unfortunately, some staff members take their frustrations out on their patients.

According to research compiled by the National Center on Elder Abuse, more than 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to the mistreatment of their elderly patients. While two-thirds of these admissions reportedly involved neglect, this still means that about 17 percent admitted to physically mistreating patients under their care.

Warning Signs of Physical Abuse

If your loved one has been the victim of physical abuse in a nursing home, he or she may be unwilling or unable to communicate the problem to you. Therefore, it is up to you to visit regularly and to look for possible indications of abuse every time you visit.

You may need to push for answers regarding nursing home physical abuse if:

• Your loved one seems unusually withdrawn, depressed, or irritable;
• You see cuts, bruises, abrasions, or marks indicating restraints on your loved one’s body;
• Your loved one has suffered unexplained fractures, dislocations, or other injuries;
• Your loved one refuses to eat, drink, or take medication;
• The presence of a particular staff member makes your loved one especially nervous or upset; or
• A staff member refuses to allow you to be alone with your loved one.

There may be perfectly reasonable explanations for indications like these, but if you are concerned that there might be a problem, you will need to sit down with your loved one and have a serious discussion about what is happening.

Call a Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

At Schwartz Injury Law, we know that it can be difficult to determine for sure whether physical abuse is occurring in your loved one’s nursing home, but we can help you uncover the truth. Once we know, we can also help you take action to protect your loved one and to get him or her compensation for any injuries sustained. Call one of our experienced Illinois nursing home injury attorneys at 312-535-4625 for a free consultation today.

Sources:

http://www.nursinghomeabuseguide.org/physical-abuse/

https://ncea.acl.gov/NCEA/media/Publication/ResearchBriefLTCF.pdf