Boston Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
By Willy Smite
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Nursing Home Abuse and Assisted Living Neglect
With the aging of America, the statistics on nursing home abuse are alarming. Conservative estimates state that one in every three homes in America will be affected in some way by abuse of an elder relative while in a nursing home. Nursing home residents nationwide number over 1.6 million and there are currently over 17,000 registered nursing home and elder care facilities. The number is expected to rise to 5 million in the next three decades. Sadly, as the number of nursing home residents increases so does the frequency of abuse
Because of the projected numbers and the problems associated with those numbers, nursing home care has become an area of public and governmental concern. As with every medical and care giving facility there are state and government regulations that govern the Quality of Care for nursing homes. In most states across the country there are problems with understaffing and, therefore, nursing homes are using under-trained and unqualified help. Without proper staffing facilities are at a higher risk of cultivating abuse and neglect.
Not all types of elder abuse are physical and not all abuse results in visible injuries. The types of abuse and neglect that have been reported in nursing homes range from moderate to severe and include sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, extortion, psychological and emotional abuse and physical abuse. There are signs and indications of abuse that families should watch for such as any injury that cannot be promptly explained, bedsores, unusual bruises, sexually transmitted disease, out of the ordinary financial requests and sudden changes in attitude or appetite. While these signs do not always mean there is nursing home abuse or neglect present, they are indicators to watch for.
