Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing homes are meant to be safe spaces that provide services to elderly and disabled individuals. When an individual is taken care of and given a home at a nursing home, their families will feel relief knowing they are in good hands. However, there can be a dark side to nursing homes that fill families and loved ones with worry, anxiety, and stress. This dark side is the common occurrence of nursing home abuse. It does not happen in every nursing home, but it is reported often.

According to the National Library of Medicine, abuse is “the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or cruel punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, mental anguish, or deprivation by a person.” There are several different types of nursing home abuse, which we will explain in more detail below. If someone you love is in a nursing home, you must know the different types of nursing home abuse. This may help you look for the signs and stay aware when visiting your family members or loved ones in these facilities.

If you suspect your loved one’s injuries happened due to nursing home abuse in the Bay Area, seek a free case evaluation with a nursing home abuse lawyer at The Cartwright Law Firm today. We serve clients in Vacaville, Santa Rosa, Discovery Bay, and throughout the San Francisco area.

The 7 Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse

We have found seven different types of nursing home abuse and the signs and factors to look for that may indicate they are happening.

1. Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is usually the type of abuse that comes to mind when you think of the word abuse. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 14 percent of residents and their families reported cases of physical abuse in a recent year. Here are a few examples of physical abuse:

• Punching
• Kicking
• Slapping
• Pushing
• Pinching
• Scratching
• Spitting
• Inflicting pain with objects
• Force-feeding

When looking for signs of physical abuse, check your loved one’s arms and legs for bruises, cuts, or any type of marks.

2. Neglect

Neglect is when someone fails to provide the necessary services to another individual. Most people who neglect the elderly and disabled people in nursing homes are lazy and lack interest in their job. However, there is no excuse for this misbehavior. In a recent survey, 12 percent of staff members reported neglect of their nursing home residents. Neglect typically looks like the following:

• Bedsores
• Baths not being given regularly
• Complaints and requests being ignored
• Injuries not being reported
• Medications not being given

To detect neglect, you should look at your loved one’s medicine bottles, ask if they have been given a bath or moved around in the bed recently, and look for any injuries on their body.

3. Emotional and Psychological Abuse

Unfortunately, emotional and psychological abuse is very common in nursing homes. WHO states that almost 34 percent of residents and their families reported psychological abuse in a recent year. This type of abuse occurs in various ways, including:

• Screaming
• Taunting
• Ignoring
• Cursing
• Humiliating
• Isolating
• Threatening

Emotional and psychological abuse is one of the hardest to pinpoint. You can look for signs of being scared or fearing other residents or staff members.

4. Sexual Abuse

Although sexual abuse in nursing homes is less common, it can still happen. Sexual abuse among nursing home residents is when a person sexually violates the resident and their personal space in some way. The resident does not give consent or is unable to, which means that the individual took advantage of them. Sexual abuse typically includes the following:

• Inappropriate touching
• Persuading to do sexual acts
• Groping
• Unwanted touching
• Rape

There are a few signs that you can look for when it comes to sexual abuse. Check for bruises, unexplained STDs, pain while walking, and unexplained genital bleeding.

5. Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is usually less heard of, but it does happen. This is when a person uses a resident’s funds, property, or assets improperly and illegally. An example of financial abuse in a nursing home is if a caregiver or staff member cashes or signs a resident’s check without permission. Other examples are:

• Stealing money from a resident’s bank account or wallet
• Forging the resident’s signature
• Coercing the resident to sign a document

Missing money or belongings, frequent ATM withdrawals or ATM withdrawals during a time when the resident did not leave the nursing home, and the resident not understanding where their money has gone are a few telltale signs to keep an eye out for if you suspect that your loved one is a victim of financial abuse.

6. Malnutrition

Malnutrition is when a staff member does not feed the resident appropriately, withhold food, or follow dietary restrictions. This is very dangerous as it can cause health issues. A few signs of an individual being malnourished are muscle loss, weight loss, kidney failure, dry skin, irritability, bad moods, and even death.

7. Dehydration

Dehydration may go hand in hand with malnutrition. Proper intake of fluids is essential to the human body. Therefore, if someone withholds it from a resident at a nursing home, it could lead to health complications. Some hints that your loved one is experiencing dehydration include tiredness and fatigue, excessive thirst, dry mouth, and dark urine or infrequent urination.

Contact a Vacaville Nursing Home Abuse Attorney at The Cartwright Law Firm Today

If you believe your family member or loved one is being abused in a nursing home, you must take action quickly and carefully. If their life is in danger, you should contact your local police immediately. Afterward, seek the help of an experienced nursing home lawyer in Vacaville, CA, where our team can step in to assist you. Cartwright Law Firm is a team of knowledgeable and skilled attorneys who know the laws surrounding nursing home abuse.

We believe people should be held accountable for their negative treatment of these vulnerable individuals. Our lawyers are caring, understanding, and compassionate, as we understand this is a very frustrating time for you. We will do everything in our power to ensure that you and your loved one get the justice you deserve. Please use the information provided in this article to detect signs of abuse and call us at your earliest convenience at 415-433-0444.