Nursing home abuse is a problem that has been growing rapidly throughout the years. As the elderly population grows, the number of reported cases increases exponentially. The alarming thing is that there are far more instances of abuse that go unreported.
When such cases are not even reported, they do not get investigated either, and the abuser gets away with what they have done. This can lead to an increase in such instances where an elderly person can end up facing abuse at the hands of their caretaker.
There are a number of factors that can play a part in nursing home abuse. By understanding these factors, you can make sure that systematic action can be taken against them.
1.What is Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can encompass a number of things. It can be in the shape of physical harm or violence, or it can be by means of threat of physical harm and violence. Similarly, it could be that the abuser takes advantage of the abused emotionally.
Suppose the elderly person is unable to comprehend what is going on around them. In that case, it can provide an opportunity for the abuser to take things without the consent of the resident. Similarly, there can be instances where the elderly resident might be facing verbal abuse, which can leave them scared emotionally.
2.Negligence by the Caretaker
The most common type of nursing home abuse can be the result of neglect. More often than not, nursing homes are understaffed, and that can become an issue when the workload increases. In high-pressure situations, there can be things that get overlooked.
Sometimes, nursing homes can hire under-trained staff in such situations, which can lead to more issues. If a caretaker is not trained properly, they can make mistakes; these mistakes can result in serious injury to the residents.
It has to be ensured that undertrained or inexperienced workers are not allowed to work without proper supervision. With the help of supervision, mistakes can be pointed out, and hazards can be removed.
3.Resident Related Factors
Nursing home abuse can often be a result of opportunity. Suppose a resident is not in a state where they can comprehend what is happening around them. In that case, an unprofessional caretaker might perceive this as an opportunity and take advantage of the situation.
In such instances, it can be common for jewelry and other valuable items to go missing from the possession of the resident. There can also be instances where a resident might become unstable and attack other residents of the facility; this can also lead to serious physical injuries.
4.A Lack of Attention from Family
Another factor that plays a role in nursing home abuse is the fact that family and friends rarely visit a resident. In such instances, a caretaker who has ill intent might notice this as an opportunity to inflict harm. If a resident is rarely visited, there is a good probability that signs of abuse will not be noticed.
Things like bruises and cuts can heal over time, which can hide the occurrence of physical abuse. Similarly, if the resident is being neglected, then bedsores and poor living conditions might not get noticed for a while. This can seriously affect the health of a resident, and recovery can become impossible.
5.Abuse Due to Mental Illness
For a caretaker to break their oath and abuse the person they are supposed to be taking care of, there has to be something wrong with them. It takes a severe lack of empathy on the part of the abuser to take advantage of an elderly person.
This lack of empathy is usually due to an underlying medical reason. Mental illnesses can make it hard for a person suffering from them to judge a situation properly. If a caretaker is not in a fit mental state, they can inflict harm to the residents of the facility they work at.
6.Financial Factors Coming into Play
A common motivator for people to break the law and take advantage of other people is financial pressure. People who are in a challenging economic situation can often get desperate, and that can lead to some heinous acts on their part.
A caretaker who is struggling financially might resort to stealing valuables from the elderly residents of a nursing home. As their desperation increases, they might start to exploit them for money as well. This can be done by means of manipulation or by threatening to inflict physical harm.
There can be instances where caretakers might band together to misappropriate the funds designated for the elderly, or they might misuse their credit cards to make purchases for themselves.
7.What Action You Can Take
If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse, you have every right to be upset. There are a number of things you can do to make sure that the abusers are brought to justice and your loved one’s pain and suffering are paid for in full.
You can look up the term My Nursing Home Abuse Guide to get an idea of what your next step should be. You can also set up a consultation with a lawyer to discuss the matter. You can figure out if you can file a lawsuit for compensation and what compensation you can seek through such a lawsuit.
8.Things That Can Be Improved
There is also a need to make improvements on an institutional level to make sure that nursing home abuse can be eradicated. There needs to be a strict requirement imposed for the qualification and experience of staff to be employed.
There is also a need for a system of checks and balances to be imposed in nursing homes to make sure there are no financial irregularities. In addition, there has to be a minimum staff requirement for the number of residents present in any nursing home at any given time to ensure quality of life.
