- January 15, 2018
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Personal Injury
According to a study conducted by the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee, elderly patients suffer abuse in 1 in every 3 nursing homes. There are millions of people who live in nursing homes all throughout the United States, and statistics show that roughly 40% of all adults will wind up living in a nursing home at some point in their lives. If so many nursing homes in our country are acting negligently or perpetuating abuse, is it truly so very rare to see elder abuse in nursing homes?About Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can occur in many different ways and it can come from a number of different sources. The nursing home staff can be abusive, as can outside doctors, visitors, and fellow nursing home residents.
The elderly can be abused in several different ways, including:
- Physical
- Sexual
- Financial
- Negligence
The Statistics
According to a survey cited by the Nursing Home Abuse Guide, between 1999 and 2001 nearly one-third of all nursing homes were cited for some type of federal standard violation. Nearly 10% of these nursing home facilities were cited for violations that directly impacted the health of the residents or directly caused the death of one or more elderly residents. On top of this, in a survey of nursing home residents, 40% reported suffering abuse themselves, while more than 90% reported having witnessed some type of abuse in a nursing home.
For more statistics, visit nursinghomeabuseguide.org.
What You Can Do To Stop the Abuse
If you witness nursing home abuse, or you fear someone you love is suffering at their nursing home facility, it is important to recognize the signs and take immediate action. Unfortunately, a large number of nursing home abuse goes unreported, so it is extremely important to look for signs that may indicate any mistreatment. Elders suffering abuse often show significant, unexplained weight loss, bruises, marks of forced restraint, hair loss, anxiety, or significant changes in mood. Abuse victims might also be frequently dehydrated, malnourished, overmedicated, or they may not be receiving their necessary medications. If you notice any changes in behavior from your loved one, take immediate action to determine whether or not he or she is suffering abuse.
In the event that your loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse, we want to help you fight for justice and compensation on behalf of your loved one.
Contact Goodman Acker P.C. today to get started on your Detroit nursing home abuse case.