Neglected Care in Assisted Living Facilities: A Fed up Family Shares Their Heartbreaking Stories
In various nursing homes across the United States, a significant and underreported issue of elder abuse has come to light. This problem affects around 10-12% of nursing home residents, with emotional abuse being the most common form reported.
One tragic incident occurred in the living room of a senior woman's home, where a caregiver was caught on camera consuming the patient's food. The suspect, a woman in her late twenties, was reportedly abusing the resident due to the care recipient feeding human food to her dog.
In another incident, a 59-year-old caregiver was caught on camera repeatedly beating a 94-year-old woman in Houston. The victim, a World War II veteran, was legally blind and was being cared for by his daughter, Wendy Rudek. Suspecting neglect by the nursing home staff, Wendy installed a hidden camera in her father's room, which revealed the caregiver's unacceptable behaviour.
In 2018, a report by Denver7 confirmed a case of physical abuse in a Nevada-based memory care facility, where an elderly woman with Dementia suffered life-threatening wounds. Similarly, a 2021 report by 11Alive exposed an assisted-living facility aide who was caught on camera pushing, shoving, and hitting an older woman with Dementia.
Incidents like these are not only frustrating but absolutely condemnable. They highlight the urgent need for preventive measures to protect our elderly population in nursing homes.
According to studies, approximately 12% of nursing home residents report neglect, and a similar percentage of staff admit to neglecting residents. About 10% of all U.S. nursing home residents experience mistreatment, though fewer than 20% of these cases are reported, meaning many incidents remain hidden.
To combat this issue, several steps can be taken. Increasing awareness and training for staff on recognising and preventing all forms of abuse and neglect, especially emotional abuse, is crucial. Implementing robust reporting systems and hotlines, such as the Elder Abuse Hotline 1-800-677-1116 and the National Center on Elder Abuse 1-855-500-3537, is essential to report suspected abuse quickly.
Enhancing regulatory inspection and enforcement to identify and penalise abusive facilities, ensuring compliance with care standards, is also necessary. Increasing staffing levels and ensuring mental health support for vulnerable residents, particularly in facilities with high rates of serious mental illness, is another important measure.
Legal advocacy and support for victims and families, allowing survivors to seek justice and compensation where abuse occurred, is another key aspect. Encouraging family and community vigilance by watching for signs such as unexplained injuries, behavioural changes (depression, anxiety), bedsores, and unexplained financial losses is also vital.
Taking care of a person with Dementia can be challenging, but it does not justify physical abuse. In the case of Hussein Younes, an elderly man in his 90s, his family believes the abuse inflicted on him was partly racially motivated and have sued the nursing home facility.
In summary, elder abuse in U.S. nursing homes is common and serious, often hidden, but preventable through a combination of education, vigilant monitoring, reporting, stronger oversight, and legal actions. It is our collective responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our elderly population in these institutions.
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