Every day, thousands of elderly Americans are physically abused by their nursing home attendants. Many of these patients suffer serious injuries while others eventually pass away from their injuries. Abuse in any form is unacceptable, especially when it occurs in a retirement home.
Physical abuse includes any type of physical contact one individual inflicts upon another with the intent to injure or harm that individual. In nursing homes, this occurs with a surprisingly high frequency. An estimated 30% of all homes in the United States are cited for abuse each year.
There are a number of reasons why this occurs. In most cases, it involves employee frustration. Though handling patients that may be needy can be frustrating, it is never an excuse to lash out and abuse someone.
In many cases, elderly individuals who suffer physical abuse in retirement homes will not report the instances of abuse they have experienced. This is usually for fear of repercussions from the facility's staff, though some patients are unable to do so because of medical conditions.
Many cases of abuse are actually reported by families of abused individuals. There are many signs that family members may observe in their loved ones if they are being abused. These signs usually include:
- Bumps, bruises, and cuts
- Unexplained injuries
- Loved one seeming emotionally distant
- Sudden personality changes
Families that witness these changes in their loved ones should report the homes for management negligence immediately to a legal authority. Reporting these individuals may save future residents from similar abuse.
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