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About Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
Approximately 1.6 million people are in nursing homes today.
How many people in nursing homes are being abused?
How many can speak about their nursing home abuse experiences or must you be the
one to help on their behalf?
It's sad when a society puts their elderly into nursing homes that cannot meet
the standard basic needs of its patients. As the population ages, more nursing
homes services will be required.
Nursing home patients have a bill of rights but nursing home inspections and
violation enforcement are lax.
The first step is recognizing what nursing home abuse and neglect is.
Nursing home abuse can best be described by malnutrition, dehydration, weight
loss, bedsores, poor personal hygiene, bruises, cuts, open wounds, burns, falls,
bowel impactions, over-sedation, medication errors, physical abuse, sexual
abuse, emotional abuse, and more.
Nursing home neglect can be described as failure to assist in personal hygiene;
failure to provide food, clothing, and shelter; failure from health and safety
hazards; failure to prevent bedsores, malnutrition, and dehydration; failure to
provide clean conditions; and failure to allow access to medical services.
The second and third steps are to
seek help for the abused patient and report
the abuser — the nursing home and if known, the actual health worker who is
perpetuating the abuse.
What you cannot do — is nothing.
Nursing home abuse is a crime against the sick, helpless, and elderly.
Not reporting nursing home abuse is the biggest crime of all. How may we
help
you?
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