At least one in 10 nursing home residents will suffer some form of nursing home abuse, although some have a higher risk than others. Female nursing home residents are more likely to suffer nursing home abuse and neglect than males, and those with physical or cognitive impairments are more likely to be victims of nursing home abuse. Residents who rely only on Medicaid to pay for nursing home care are more likely to be at a lower-quality facility with higher rates of neglect and abuse.
It can be devastating to find out that your loved one has been abused in a nursing home. You may be angry, frustrated, guilt-ridden, and unsure of what you need to do to protect your loved one while seeking justice. Speaking to a knowledgeable Peoria, IL nursing home abuse lawyer from Nursing Home Injury Center can be the best first step to take to determine the best way to proceed.
What Are the Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse can be physical, emotional, financial, or sexual. Emotional abuse occurs when a resident is verbally threatened or intimidated or is socially isolated. A staggering 81 percent of nursing home staff members say they have seen emotional abuse occur in a nursing home, while 40 percent admitted to committing at least one incident of emotional abuse.
Physical abuse occurs when a staff member slaps, punches, pinches, kicks, or shoves a nursing home resident. Physical abuse can lead to long-term health consequences and even death. When a nursing home staff member withholds or steals a resident’s financial resources, this is financial abuse.Unwanted sexual contact from a staff member or another resident constitutes sexual abuse of a nursing home resident. Sexual abuse is less likely to be reported than physical, emotional, or financial abuse.
Why Does Nursing Home Abuse Occur?
There are many different reasons that nursing home abuse can occur. An incident of abuse in a nursing home could be a common occurrence in that nursing home or a one-time incident. Some of the more common reasons for nursing home abuse include:
- An inability to fully staff a nursing home leads to a relaxed hiring standard.
- In cases of financial abuse, greed is generally the motivation on the part of the staff member.
- Failure to fully vet each nursing home employee.
- Lack of competitive pay, leading to understaffing issues.
- Inadequate training for staff members; nurses with fewer qualifications have been found to be more likely to harm nursing home residents.
What Are Some of the Most Common “Red Flags” To Alert You to Nursing Home Abuse?
Nobody wants to believe that another person could be abusing a vulnerable elderly person or a person with a cognitive or physical disability. It seems just too horrendous to contemplate, yet it occurs much more often than we want to believe. Choosing to put a loved one in a nursing home is a difficult decision, yet it is the only option for many families.
If you are choosing a nursing home facility for your family member, keep the following red flags in mind as you look at the potential homes. While the presence of one of these red flags does not necessarily mean your loved one would be in danger, more than one should give you pause and should make you dig deeper.
- The online reviews for the nursing home are less than positive. While remembering that people are more likely to report a negative experience than a positive one, take them seriously if there are many negative reviews.
- Check the facility’s overall cleanliness; a dirty facility is more likely to spread infection among the elderly.
- If there is a strong odor of feces and urine, it is unlikely the residents will receive regular baths or get assistance changing their clothing.
- If you ask staff members questions about daily programs, treatments, and procedures and are met with blank stares, then either the staff is poorly trained, or there are no regular procedures in place for the residents’ care.
- The residents do not regularly engage in outdoor activities. There should be plenty of outdoor sitting areas that residents have regular access to.
- Many residents appear dirty and messy, are still in their pajamas in the afternoon, or appear to be sitting alone in a wheelchair for long periods of time.
- A staff member bad-mouths a resident to you or within earshot of your location.
- There appears to be little privacy for the residents.
- Visiting times for family and friends are very restrictive.
- The food looks unappetizing, and many residents have no help eating.
- The staff members seem dismissive of your questions or are even downright rude.
- The facility’s conditions do not seem safe; beds appear too high from the ground, there are no shower chairs, no fall prevention methods are in place, and the residents do not have access to a call button.
What Should You Look for if You Suspect Your Loved One is Being Abused or Neglected?
If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, look for the following signs:
- Any sudden change from his or her normal behavior
- Sudden injuries that cannot be adequately explained
- A diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease
- Constant bruising
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Isolation by staff members
- Sudden weight loss
- Dehydration
- Evidence that a necessary medication is not being administered
- Evidence that your loved one is being drugged to keep them quiet and docile
- Deterioration in personal hygiene
- Soiled bedding or clothing
- Bedsores that do not heal
- Depression and anxiety
How Does a Lawsuit and Settlement Help Your Loved One?
While money will not change the abuse your loved one suffered, it can change how they are cared for in the future. Settlement amounts depend on the consequences of the abuse, whether your loved one is still alive or died from the abuse, the severity of the abuse, and whether medical malpractice occurred.
If nursing home abuse caused injury or death to your loved one, you can seek financial damages for medical bills, relocation costs, funeral expenses, and more. While statistics on the average nursing home abuse settlement are difficult to access, one study suggests the average settlement is $406,000, with many settlements well over $1 million.
Contact a Peoria, IL Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Reporting nursing home abuse can be challenging, especially when the victim has cognitive impairments. Despite this, reporting is crucial because when nursing home abuse goes unreported, many others can suffer. Your loved one deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and should never endure abuse.
When you choose a Peoria, IL nursing home abuse attorney from Nursing Home Injury Center, you will have a strong advocate in your corner who will guide you through the reporting and litigation processes. Our firm is a small division of a large law firm, which ensures each client receives highly individualized attention while still benefitting from the resources of a large firm. Contact Nursing Home Injury Center at 309-524-6900 to schedule your free consultation.
