When we put our loved elders into a nursing home, mixed emotions often arise. We are comforted that our elders will have constant care and help with their health. However, we also worry and hope that they are not taken advantage of or abused by the nursing home. There are important signs to watch out for to prevent ongoing abuse.
Two types of elder abuse are physical abuse and emotional abuse, or what is also oftentimes referred to as elder psychological abuse. Elder emotional abuse is often difficult to recognize because the wounds are not visible on the person and the behavior of the elderly abused can often be misunderstood as just the results of old age and unfamiliar territory.
Any kind of emotional pain or distress inflicted on the elderly is considered emotional abuse by health professionals. Elder emotional oftentimes occurs at nursing homes or assisted living facilities, but it can also occur in the home from in-home caregivers or even family members themselves.
In 2006, the American Public Health Associates said that as many as 2.5 million Americans fell victim to elder abuse. In 2010, a different type of elder abuse, elder neglect, was the most common form. Elder neglect was reported as occurring in over 50 percent of elderly abuse claims in the country, a staggering statistic.
The National Center on Elder Abuse said in 2010 that 9.5 percent of all elderly people in the U.S. were the victims of abuse or neglect-a number we feel must change.
There are several reasons for why abuse occurs and goes undetected in nursing homes. Some of these reasons include:
• The nursing home does not adequately investigate employees who may have a history of elderly emotional abuse or previous claims
• Poor and improper day-to-day management of the facility and its staff
• The nursing home or care giver agency may not have a well-staffed team in charge of operations
• The nursing home does not properly train the staff to deal with a variety of elderly people and their health concerns
Here at the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny, we have a documented history of exposing the abuses that are far too prevalent in nursing homes. The attorneys at the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny have over a combined century of experience and achieved over $100 million in verdicts and settlements to prove their success rate. Our attorneys have been tackling nursing home abuse cases since they began their careers. This is their expertise and they are here to help you get the results you deserve. Call our office today to speak to an attorney about your next steps after an accident.