Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect is a growing problem. Our aging population means dependence on nursing homes will continue to be widespread. And with that dependence comes the threat of abuse by the very people who are supposed to ensure your loved one’s comfort and care.
Words can only do so much to illustrate the absolute tragedy of Raleigh nursing home abuse and neglect. This nursing home abuse video will haunt you. It shows Raleigh nursing home “caregivers” berating a defenseless stroke patient lying on the floor. The actions it portrays can’t be justified. It is a horrible reminder of the ugly reality behind nursing home abuse and neglect right here in North Carolina.
Warning: The actions in the video are extremely disturbing.
Why Do Staff Behave This Way?
The staff who do this rationalize their behavior. They consider their needs to be more important than the needs of others.
A National Institutes of Health report entitled Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America quotes a certified nursing assistant who describes their mindset:
“Oh, yeah. I’ve seen abuse. Things like rough handling, pinching, pulling too hard on a resident to make them do what you want. Slapping, that too. People get so tired, working mandatory overtime, short-staffed. It’s not an excuse, but it makes it so hard for them to respond right.”
30% of Nursing Homes Cited for Abuse
he video you saw is not an isolated incident. Serious physical, sexual, and verbal abuse are widespread among the nation’s nursing homes, according to a two-year congressional study. The study found that 30% of nursing homes in the United States, about 5,000 facilities, were cited for nearly 9,000 instances of abuse during that time.
Worse, abuse and neglect often goes under-reported because some patients are too frightened of repercussions and live in fear of retaliation from staff, management, and even other patients. In one case, the report noted, attendants bribed a brain-damaged patient with cigarettes to attack another resident, then watched the two fight.
Are the Owners and Operators of Nursing Homes Liable for Abuse?
We may be able to seek accountability against the facility. If the facility is part of a chain, we may be able to seek accountability from the large corporation at the epicenter.
If your loved one has been neglected or abused, it’s up to you and your Raleigh nursing home negligence attorney to try to prevent this from happening to anyone else.
Do You Need a Raleigh Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Your Corner?
Hiding the Truth of Elder Abuse
Unfortunately, covering up abuse or neglect can be far too easy. Nursing home staff are in complete control of the facility. This imbalance of power between staff and ailing residents can make a cover-up easy to effect. Your loved one is counting on you to be vigilant for signs of abuse or neglect, including telltale pressure sores.
Spotting Nursing Home Abuse
Even attentive and involved loved ones may not recognize the signs of abuse. If you have a parent or loved one in a nursing home or in another’s care, take note of some signs of potential neglect to watch for:
- Wandering residents
- Torn clothing
- Trouble sitting
- Aversion to touch
- Silence around caregivers
- Unexplained changes in behavior
- Sudden weight loss
- Marks on wrists or ankles
- Poor hygiene
Learn More: Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Nursing Home Sexual Abuse
Frail residents of nursing homes are not even safe from the prospect of sexual abuse and assault. Elderly women in particular are highly vulnerable to sexual abuse from nursing home staff. Learn the red flags of nursing home sexual abuse and how a Raleigh nursing home negligence lawyer can help if you suspect the unthinkable has happened.
If you think your loved one is being or has been abused physically, emotionally, or sexually, it’s time to ask questions, be your loved one’s champion, and contact a Raleigh nursing home negligence lawyer.
Why Does This Happen?
There are a few reasons the environment of a nursing home is so conducive to neglect and abuse.
Negligent Hiring of Nursing Home Staff
Nursing homes are obligated to hire qualified staff with the appropriate academic and other credentials for their particular position. Background checks are required and there should be no record of abuse or violence found in that background check. Yet, in many cases, we have discovered this to not be the case.
Nursing Home Understaffing
Many nursing homes and senior care facilities are notoriously understaffed. They can potentially be liable if a resident suffers an injury or dies because of an inadequate number of caretakers to properly care for residents.
Inadequate Caregiver Training
Nursing homes and other senior care facilities can potentially be held accountable for injuries if their staff has not been provided proper training and a resident suffers an injury as a result.
Watch Now: Advocating for Your Loved One in a Nursing Home
What a Raleigh Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Do for You
A nursing home abuse lawyer can be your family’s advocate as you seek to hold the guilty accountable. This isn’t a regular case. The stakes can be sky-high and emotions will be fraught as you try to reckon with such a betrayal by your loved one’s care facility.
When a nursing home fails to provide the level of care your loved one needs, things can spiral quickly out of control. The sad truth is that emotional and physical abuse and neglect happen every day in our nursing homes. Did your loved one die from neglect or abuse in their nursing home?
A wrongful death claim may allow you to seek compensation for:
- Bills for care, treatment, and hospitalization arising from the fatal injury
- The pain and suffering of your deceased loved one
- Reasonable funeral expenses for your deceased loved one
- Loss of reasonably expected income, assistance, and companionship of your deceased loved one
- Loss of the following to the heirs of the person who passed:
- Services;
- Protection;
- Care;
- Assistance;
- Society;
- Comfort;
- Guidance;
- Kindly Offices; and
- Advice
Note: If your loved one’s death was caused by malice or “willful or wanton” conduct, you may be entitled to punitive damages.
The Fight Against Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Begins With You
You owe it to your loved one to seek justice, but you don’t have to face this fight alone. A Raleigh nursing home abuse attorney can:
- Investigate the nursing home you suspect of abuse
- Seek compensation
- Try to hold the abusive facility responsible so this won’t happen to other victims
For a free, confidential, and compassionate case evaluation, please submit this form.
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