According to the World Health Organization, “1 in 6 people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year.” That is a lot of people when you think about it and those are our grandparents, neighbors, friends and other family members who are experiencing that. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic rates for abuse have increased, probably because of staffing, budgeting and other illnesses.
Before my own grandmother passed away she was in a nursing home for about a year and fortunately for her she was in a nice one with good staff around her but that is not to say that she didn’t experience abuse that I didn’t notice on her when we visited.
There are different types of nursing home abuse to look out for:
- Physical abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
What do you do when you realize a form of nursing home abuse is happening to your loved one?
First thing first, talk to your loved one. If they are able to they can hopefully tell you about issues they are having and you can decide if they are actual abuse. Maybe you suspect physical abuse but discover they are actually clumsy or due to their age and skin bruises are showing up more easily. If they are unable to talk about the issues then it makes it harder. You will need to start documenting everything which brings me to my next step.
Start documenting everything. Take photos of any physical abuses and take notes of anything else. Make sure to notate time and dates of everything to be exact. You could also take videos of issues and interview your loved one at the time you find out for future reference as well.
Set up a meeting with the nursing home management. Address your concerns and see how it is handled. If it is with just one employee that is easier handled than if it is by more. They will probably start their own investigation and hopefully that person will be fired.
Contact the police if it is a criminal issue. Some abuses may not be matters for police to handle right away. As long as you have everything documented and you have addressed it with the nursing home management first then you have every right to speak to the police to see if you do have a criminal case.
Get a lawyer if you want legal adivce on suing the nursing home. Maybe you want to sue for better care or financial reasons so you can move your loved one to a better place. You also don’t want this to happen to others and it could be a major issue. Speak to your local representatives and find a good local lawyer who specializes in nursing home abuse. A Pennsylvania nursing home abuse lawyer for example would be knowledgeable about laws in Pennsylvania but not up-to-date with codes and laws in Nevada.