Nursing Home Abuse

Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

Physical abuse in nursing homes is on the rise. Approximately 2,500 cases of physical abuse by nursing home staff members are being reported annually. Even worse, some states do not require criminal background checks when hiring these nursing home employees. Additionally, because nursing homes often offer poor hourly pay, those hired may not be the most qualified applicants. Because of this lax attitude in the hiring process, many nursing home residents may be subjected to physical abuse.

If your loved one has been a victim of physical nursing home abuse, fill out our free case evaluation form.

Understaffing is another common cause of nursing home abuse. When staff members become overworked, they may begin to lose their patience with the nursing home residents. In addition, understaffing leaves many workers unsupervised or untrained, which can lead to nursing home abuse. Still, physical abuse in nursing homes is illegal, and the owners of the assisted living facility can be held liable if a resident is subject to nursing home abuse or neglect.

Signs of Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

In some cases, it is difficult to identify nursing home residents who have been physically abused. Very often, members of the nursing home staff will state that the resident's injuries were the result of a fall rather than the actual cause--nursing home abuse. In addition, the staff member may bully the resident into agreeing with their story.

Because detecting signs of physical nursing home abuse can be difficult, loved ones should pay careful attention when visiting the nursing home. Be aware of the common signs of physical nursing home abuse, including:

• Unexplained bruising
• Cuts
• Sprains, fractures and broken bones
• Open wounds

In addition to physical signs, nursing home patients who have been physically abused may also show changes in their behavior. If the resident appears withdrawn, fearful, nervous or depressed, they may be suffering from physical nursing home abuse.

Types of Physical Nursing Home Abuse

The most common type of physical abuse is battery, which can include forcing the resident into restraints for no valid reason. Other forms of physical abuse in nursing homes include:

• Overmedication
• Use of excessive restraints, chemical or physical, for no reason
• Burning, pushing, shoving
• Force feeding
• Hitting the resident with the hand or an object
• Pulling the resident's hair
• Mishandling the resident when transporting them from beds, bathrooms etc.

If the nursing home does not comply with federal and state laws regarding nursing home abuse, they will face serious consequences. In addition to reporting nursing home abuse, residents and their loved ones can file a lawsuit to hold the facility accountable for their actions. If your loved one is being abused, physically or otherwise, in a nursing home, contact our nursing home abuse attorneys to find out how we can help stop the abuse.