What Is Nursing Home Neglect And Abuse? Do I Have A Case?
A shocking statistic from the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that 95% of nursing home residents have experienced or witnessed some form of neglect while staying in a long-term care facility. If residents are not treated properly, staff fail to follow proper guidelines and procedures, and/or there is a lack of oversight from outside officials, the consequences, especially for residents, could be dire.
It’s true, however, that residents and their loved ones are not powerless; they can do a lot to stop abuse or neglect before things get out of hand. (Here’s more useful information on elder abuse and what can be done to prevent it.) If you know someone who’s experienced elder neglect or abuse, or if you yourself have fallen victim to such cruelty, you may wish to seek assistance from a qualified and experienced attorney, one that specializes in handling nursing home neglect cases.
What Nursing Home Neglect Looks Like
- Substandard resident care.
- Breach of duty that results in harm to a resident.
According to the NCEA, elder neglect is a common type of elder abuse, one that’s in most cases perpetrated by caregivers and other individuals who hold a position of trust in a nursing home. Most cases of nursing home abuse involve direct harm, but it’s also true that neglect, which is a result of either substandard care or a failure to competently carry out caregiving responsibilities, can also cause harm to nursing home residents.
When an individual who’s entrusted with caring for an elderly person leaves said person at a public place, nursing home, or hospital, the circumstances may be considered abandonment. This is a form of elder neglect.
If nursing home staff fail to act responsibly or provide inadequate care to residents, then the facility may be held liable for elder neglect.
Self-neglect is unfortunately quite common in nursing homes. If a resident loses the ability to care for themselves and they do not get assistance from nursing home staff, this is a form of elder neglect. Furthermore, residents who refuse care must receive humane assistance.
Physical and Mental Consequences of Nursing Home Neglect
It’s true that nursing home neglect can take many forms, but almost all forms of this neglect involve harm to an elderly individual’s mental health. Although physical elderly abuse is less common, some experts say that neglect at nursing homes, and the mental anguish that’s brought by it, is just as harmful. A National Center for Victims of Crime report finds that 15.3% of filed elder abuse claims involve neglect.
A Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Protect Your Rights
Elderly individuals are some of the most vulnerable, and this reality alone makes elder neglect and abuse unthinkable to most people. As attorneys with experience in prosecuting nursing home abuse, our team at Sandberg Law Firm will do all that’s in our power to ensure your rights are protected. If you or someone you love has fallen victim to elder neglect or abuse in a nursing home, we’re standing by and waiting to provide compassionate and thorough assistance.