Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing Home Abuse Information

What can you do if you or your loved one was abused or neglected at a nursing home?

If you feel your loved one is in immediate danger, call your local police or 911, or hospital emergency department. If your family member lives in another state call 1 (800) 677-1116. This is the Eldercare Locator hotline and the staff will help you find help. Here is a directory of state ombudsmen offices, state elder protection agencies, quality review boards for nursing homes.

The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 allows all residents of nursing homes to receive quality care and live in a place that maintains or even improves their wellness. This act includes freedom from abuse or neglect and misuse of funds. Residents should be aware that abuse and neglect in nursing homes are criminal acts when they happen inside the nursing home or on the premises of the nursing home.

Nursing Home Neglect can be characterized as the following:

* Neglect is a failure to help when reasonable in a way which would avoid a resident pain or harm usually in the long-term. Lack of assistance in walking which results in a lack of mobility, seldom showering or bathing which results in deprived hygiene and indignity, lack of assistance in toileting or change of disposable briefs which results in obvious discomfort, indignity, decreased movement, skin conditions and indignity, ignoring calls for help or assistance that is often initiated with bells, incorrect hand washing which can lead to infection and bacterial diseases, poor body positioning which might cause the skin to breakdown, no assistance in drinking or eating, and others.

Nursing Home Abuse can be characterized as the following:

* Abuse can be both physical, sexual, psychological, and verbal and usually means intentionally causing harm or pain. This can be done by putting the elder in intentional seclusion. Some physical acts that can qualify as abuse include punching, slapping, pushing, spitting, feeding with force and even pinching. Ignoring, threatening, making fun of a resident can be categorized as psychological abuse. Unwanted touching and sexual acts would be categorized as sexual abuse.

For more free legal information on Elder Laws, please use the links below:

• Elder Abuse

• Nursing Home Abuse

• Medicare

• Medicaid