Elderly Abuse in nursing homes - Home Improvement Guide

Elderly abuse in nursing homes, is not a fiction. According to the 2007 Laing and Buisson survey there are over 420,000 people living in nursing homes, where many Elderly abuse in nursing homes does exist. These numbers are rising and you would be very shocked at what levels abuse is taking place. From medication misuse and care negligence to shocking incidences of horrific neglect which have resulted in death.

If a nursing home falls below a standard of acceptable care that it provides its residents then the safety and welfare of it?s residents are at stake. If this happens then Care Home Negligence could be an issue and something needs to be done about it. One of the difficulties facing those who suspect Elderly abuse in nursing homes is knowing how to prove it. This is a very sensitive issue but there is lots of help available to all concerned.

Kinds of Elderly Abuse in Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are supposed to be tranquil homes of rest and relaxation for the elderly. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes meet the idealized standards they seek to achieve. Furthermore, some situations not only fail to meet elevated standards but also provide Elderly abuse in nursing homes. Laws in the United States seek to protect residents? rights, although the law can only protect the elderly if people speak out for them.

Elderly abuse in nursing homes are usually easier to spot than neglect, simply because abuse normally has physical manifestations. Broken bones, cuts, scars, abrasions, and bed sores are all clues of abuse. Neglect is more subtle and difficult to spot. Potential examples of neglect include insufficient food, water, and bathing opportunities, failure to properly assist an elderly person who needs assistance eating, drinking, or bathing, and failure to supply adequate supplies such as soap or shampoo. If you suspect your loved one in condition Elderly abuse in nursing homes or neglected, it is recommended to speak with them to find out as much information as possible.

Elderly Abuse in Nursing Homes

The elderly are easy victims for abuse. They are not strong, they are not always clear-thinking and, because they are often at the mercy of other people, they are afraid to report when they are being abused for fear of reprisal.

Obviously the isolation a nursing home provides creates opportunity for abuse but, motives are more difficult to ascertain. Further, a high percentage of homes fail basic scrutiny by the government yet they are allowed to stay in business.

Examining nursing homes and the abuse they bring to the elderly may reveal some answers.

1. History

   • 85-year-old woman

     Historically families would care for their elderly at home. However, with the early 20th-century economic crash, they often would have to relegate them to nursing homes or ?poor farms.?

     Nursing homes were less than desirable in their beginnings. They were mostly state-sponsored ?poor farms? where people went when they had no other place to go.

     The nursing home industry has followed the course of mainstream federal benefits, specifically Social Security. As Social Security benefits became more comprehensive, nursing homes graduated from ?poor farms? to more acceptable facilities.
     No longer did elderly care consist only of government facilities, now private nursing homes could get payment for housing a person.

   Types

   • There are different types of nursing homes. There are ?retirement communities? where people who have money and are in reasonably good health go to live. These are often along the lines of condominiums.

     Another kind of housing is a nursing home with apartments where the people once again are in good physical condition. Usually everyone is housed in apartments in one building and health care is close by.

     The nursing home most people think about when considering the subject is the nursing home where the majority of the population is aged and most everyone has some kind of medical condition.

   Misconceptions

   • Society thinks that once a person is in a nursing home they are well taken care of, that their families routinely keep an eye on them. Often neither of these points is true.

     Even though Social Security benefits are used to pay housing fees, family members can have the check given to them, creating the possibility of non-payment.

   Warning

   • In 2008 a report by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services revealed that more than 90 percent of nursing homes were cited for health or safety violations. Further, it has been revealed that background checks for nursing home employees are not thorough enough. Pay for workers at a nursing home is usually low, attracting workers who have nowhere else to turn.

     Once families have placed their family member in the nursing home they often feel relieved and do not visit.

   Considerations

   • Nursing home workers often must perform functions that are disgusting such as cleaning up bodily functions. Fellow residents may bully a resident. Family members may resent the fact that they are saddled with keeping an eye on a family member. All of these situations can result in abuse and most of the time an elderly person will not report it because they know they will get abused more if they do.

   Prevention/Solution

   • Surveillance Camera Surveying Surveillance Room

     Suspicious circumstances must be videotaped by an immovable surveillance camera and reviewed on a periodic basis. It should be reviewed by a third party but paid for by the nursing home.

     

     elder abuse

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Source: http://www.tree-4u.com/elderly-abuse-in-nursing-homes

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