Nursing Home Abuse - Warning Signs Of Silent Injustice

With much of the "baby boomer" population having reached middle age, the number of people entering retirement communities and then nursing homes over the next few decades is expected to steadily increase. This will undoubtedly spur the development of new facilities as well as the growth of those that already exist.

Some of these new residents will have more financial flexibility than others, which will likely play a role in the type of service and atmosphere they are able to acquire. Even facilities with minimum accommodations can be considerably costly to live in, which makes the nursing home industry one with plenty of profit potential for those running the homes.

It is, however, an unfortunate reality that some nursing homes have found ways to put their own profit before residents' well-being. Instances of nursing home abuse are disproportionately higher in the lower-cost facilities. This is largely because these residents often have less financial freedom, making it difficult to leave the home for a better one. And when there is less freedom to leave, reporting the abuse to those outside the home only puts the resident at risk of further abuse for having spoken up.

For those who may be entering a nursing home in the future or who have a parent or loved one who is considering or already living in a home, it is important to note that what nursing home abuse actually entails is somewhat misunderstood by the majority of the population. Cartoons and sitcoms depict caricatures of abuse, in which residents are forced to knit socks for long hours with no breaks for prune juice.

This is obviously an exaggeration. In reality, nursing home abuse is far more complex and can take many, many different forms. By better understanding the different types of nursing home abuse described below, you can help keep both yourself and your loved ones from becoming victims of these crimes.

Forms of nursing home abuse:

1. Physical abuse. This includes not only violence, but also physical force or coercion, inappropriate physical restraint, and physical punishment of any kind. Look for bruises, cuts, broken bones, broken eyeglasses, and signs of restraint.



2. Medical negligence, malpractice and neglect. This includes dehydration and malnutrition, improper administration of medication, untreated bedsores, unsanitary living conditions, and failure to report significant changes in health to the resident's doctor.



3. Sexual abuse. This includes any type of non-consensual sexual contact, and may be perpetrated by a worker, another resident, or a visitor to the home. Look for bruises or bleeding around the breasts or genital area and torn or bloody underclothing.



4. Emotional or psychological abuse. This is any verbal or nonverbal act that causes the patient to experience anguish or pain. It includes such things as insults, threats and humiliation, and also includes intentionally isolating the patient from people or activities or ignoring the patient.



5. Financial exploitation. This is taking advantage of the resident's condition or situation by using their funds, property or other assets. This means such actions as stealing from them, forging their signature, forcing them to sign documents, or charging them for services they do not receive.



6. Self neglect. This is one of the least understood types of nursing home abuse. This is when a resident imperils their own health or safety and nothing is done to help them. If a resident stops eating or drinking, performing personal hygiene, maintains unsafe or unsanitary living conditions, or wears inadequate clothing.

These are, of course, just some examples of each of these types of nursing home abuse. Often they are not reported by the resident, so it is important for family members to be aware and involved and to ask questions.

Indications of an abusive living situation also include a resident's sudden change in mood, refusal to speak about life at the home, and the home denying the family opportunity to be alone with the resident. A good rule of thumb is that if something seems wrong, it probably is.