Excessive Force in Nursing Homes
Elder abuse has been on the rise according to the National Center on Elder Abuse (“NCEA”), with nearly 3.2 million Americans living in a nursing home across the United States. Elder abuse can take many forms, be it physical, psychological, sexual, or financial. One of the more silent and insidious forms of elder abuse taking place in nursing homes today involves the excessive use of force, or threat of force, when caring for a resident’s custodial or personal care needs. Rough care can fall into both the physical and psychological forms of abuse depending on whether the caretaker merely threatened acts of punishment versus physically caring out the threats by physically hitting, shoving, kicking, or slapping the resident.
What to do if you Witness Abuse?
If you witness nursing home abuse, express your concerns to the administration or staff nurse immediately, and if the threat is imminent do not hesitate to call 9-1-1; it could be the very call that ends the resident’s silent torment. Every resident of a nursing home has the right to personal care with both dignity and respect. Reports show that residents of nursing homes who have been victims of abuse pass away significantly sooner than residents who had not suffered any abuse or neglect while in a nursing home. Nursing homes care for the well-being of our most vulnerable citizens, with that comes a duty to follow both state and federal guidelines. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of excessive use of rough care or psychological abuse, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Contact a Local Attorney
An experienced Philadelphia nursing home abuse attorney at Rosenbaum & Associates can investigate your claim and help you hold the responsible parties accountable. For over 25 years the trusted personal injury attorneys at Rosenbaum and Associates have worked to successfully represent thousands of injured clients throughout the Pennsylvania and New Jersey region.
Potential Signs of Rough Care
Signs of nursing home abuse vary from person to person, often dismissed as a change caused by old age or advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s. If you observe:
- Significant change in weight,
- Unexplained bruises,
- Bed sores,
- A sudden onset of depression,
- Change in character, or
- Withdraws when a certain staff member or resident is near
Call Rosenbaum & Associates for a Free Consultation
You may have cause for concern. The federal Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 and the Pennsylvania Health Care Facilities Act of 1979 as amended, protects certain rights of residents in nursing homes, such as the right to be free from verbal, mental and physical abuse, as well as, the right to be treated with respect and dignity regarding medical treatment and personal care.
Our Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers have more than 25 years of experience helping victims of serious injuries successfully recover just compensation from negligent parties. For a free, confidential evaluation of your case, please contact us online or call 1-888-664-6974 for a Free Case Evaluation.