Nursing Home Abuse More Common Than You Think

When our elders are no longer able to care for themselves, we’re often faced with the difficult decision of moving them to a long-term care facility. We do this expecting them to receive quality treatment. However, nursing home abuse statistics show this may not be the case more often than you think.

A new study indicates that as many as one in ten elderly residents may be the victims of nursing home abuse. Researchers were also able to identify some of the most common types of elder abuse and neglect that are reported.

In November, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article that examined rates of nursing home abuse and elder neglect, and also what could be done to prevent such harm. The first step to identifying these solutions was determining how nursing home residents were harmed. The most common forms of nursing home abuse that were identified include:

• Physical Abuse- Identified as acts intended to inflict physical pain or injury
• Verbal Abuse– Words being used to cause psychological pain, suffering, or injury
• Sexual Abuse– Nonconsensual intimate contact
• Financial Exploitation– Misappropriation of an elder’s money or property
• Neglect– Failure to provide an elder with necessary care or treatment

If you suspect your loved one is the victim of any of these types of abuse, researchers say having them examined by a doctor or physician is your first line of defense in preventing them from being harmed in the future. The Indiana personal injury attorneys at Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin would also suggest reporting any type of suspected nursing home abuse or neglect to the proper authorities.