There are five primary types of nursing home abuse and neglect. While each type of abuse is very different, all have the ability to impair a nursing home resident either physically, mentally or emotionally, leading to harm. The following reviews the various types of nursing home abuse.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is the abuse of nursing home patients that involves hitting, restraining, slapping, or otherwise physically inflicting pain. Symptoms of this type of injury can be both physical and emotional, ranging from bruises, lacerations, broken bones, and burns to withdrawal and depression.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse does not result in any physical symptoms, but can be extremely detrimental to a nursing home patient to experience.
- Taunting a nursing home patient
- Calling him or her names
- Embarrassing him or her
- Otherwise causing emotional pain
When emotionally abused, a nursing home patient may exhibit symptoms such as these.
- Withdrawn when previously social
- Angry
- Aggressive
- Depressed
- Uninterested in participating in social activities
The frequency of nursing home abuse is about 10 percent of the nursing home resident population, a National Center on Elder Abuse study reports, although data is hard to come by.
Sexual Abuse
When a nursing home staff member forces an elderly person to take place in any sexual activity, sexual abuse has occurred. Sexual abuse does not necessarily mean forcing an elderly nursing home resident to have sex.
Sexual nursing home abuse can mean any of the following.
- Forcing an elderly nursing home person to watch a sexual act
- Photographing a resident in a compromising situation
- Engaging in sexual conversation with a resident
Financial Exploitation
Sometimes, abuse can occur in the form of financial exploitation. This type of damage is characterized by taking economic advantage of a nursing home resident.
- Convincing the elderly person to take out a large loan
- Using his or her credit card
- Forcing the elderly person to give up property or assets
Neglect and Abandonment
Finally, neglect and abandonment is another type of negligent nursing home action. Very similar in nature, neglect and abandonment refer to the failure of nursing home staff to provide nursing home patients with physical and emotional care.
- Failing to turn a disabled patient, resulting in bedsores
- Failing to give medication or food
- Neglecting to bathe the patient
- Not caring for the patient in another physical or emotional manner
Nursing Home Abuse is Medical Malpractice
Nursing home abuse is a serious problem, and can cause harm or death to a nursing home patient. Because nursing home abuse is a form of medical malpractice, victims of abuse—or family members of victims—can file a claim for damages to seek recovery. To learn more, contact the attorneys at Cordisco & Saile LLC LLC today at 215-642-2335.
