Nursing Home Abuse Vs. Nursing Home Neglect

 Posted on January 10, 2018 in Personal Injury

There are more than 1.6 million individuals who live in nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities in the United States, and around 900,000 people live in residential care facilities or assisted living facilities. Unfortunately, due to inadequate staffing and improper training in these facilities, there are far too many cases where elderly individuals are either abused or neglected. 

Even though the terms nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect are often used interchangeably, they are distinct forms of mistreatment, and it is important to understand the differences between these two offenses.

What is Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse occurs when a caregiver knowingly causes physical injury to a resident, unreasonably restrains or confines them, acts in an intimidating or cruel manner, or otherwise willfully causes them physical, emotional, or mental harm. Some examples of nursing home abuse include, but certainly are not limited to:

• Aggressiveness with an elder
• Punching, slapping, hitting, kicking, pulling, or other rough handling
• Threatening, belittling, yelling, or cursing at an elder
• Using improper physical or chemical restraints
• Sexual abuse, which can include sexual assault, unwanted touching, or indecent exposure

What is Nursing Home Neglect?

Nursing home neglect occurs when a caregiver fails or refuses to fulfill the needs of an elderly individual. Examples of nursing home neglect include, but are not limited to:

• Failure to provide proper food, clothing, medicine, shelter, supervision, or medical care
• Failure to do regular motion exercises
• Failure to provide dental care
• Lack of hydration
• Ignoring elderly individuals who are on bed rest
• Ignoring a resident’s request by turning off a call light
• Failure to provide regular baths
• Doing a one-man transfer when an elder requires a two-man transfer
• Failure to utilize prescribed wound care
• Failure to change residents after incontinence

In cases of nursing home neglect, the elder may not be directly abused, but their access to the goods and services needed to maintain their quality of life may be deprived or limited.

Contact a Kane County Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

When you entrust your family members to a nursing home or assisted living facility, you expect them to receive the care they need, and a betrayal of the trust that you have placed in their caregivers can be devastating. If you or a loved one has been affected by nursing home abuse or neglect, you can count on Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. for professional and effective legal representation as you seek compensation for your damages. Contact our seasoned Aurora, IL personal injury lawyers at 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK98786/