Nursing home abuse is one of the most underreported crimes there is. Victims are often too frightened to say anything or they think that they won’t be believed. People in the nursing home who are aware of the abuse may not know whom to report it to, or they are simply afraid or unwilling to get involved. Meanwhile, family members and loved ones may not be able to spot the signs of abuse.
Nursing home abuse includes physical abuse or neglect that can cause serious harm or death. However, it also includes emotional, verbal and sexual abuse as well as financial exploitation.
— Emotional and verbal abuse can include insults, humiliation, harassment, threats and intimidation.
— Sexual abuse includes rape, but also any non-consensual sexual act as well as things like forced nudity.
— Financial exploitation is often associated with actions by a family member, friend or home caretaker. However, nursing homes can exploit a resident’s property or assets without the person’s knowledge.
— Physical abuse not only includes contact that injures or harms a patient, but giving them too much or too little medication.
Our population has aged and increasingly more people are living in nursing homes and other care facilities. The good news is that more laws have been enacted to help protect those residents, punish those who cause them harm and allow victims and families to seek compensation from those who were responsible for or did nothing to stop the abuse.
If you believe or know that a loved one has been harmed in a nursing home, your first priority should be to take steps to ensure that person’s safety. Then you want to pursue legal remedies to hold those responsible accountable and help protect others from abuse. At Greene & Schultz, our Bloomington, Indiana, attorneys provide a free consultation and case evaluation to all of our potential clients. Call or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
