Bumps, Bruises and Scrapes Could Be Warning Signs of Elder Abuse or Neglect
According to the CDC, about 1,800 nursing home residents die each year from falls, and about 10% to 20% of all nursing home falls cause serious injuries such as fractures.
According to the CDC, about 1,800 nursing home residents die each year from falls, and about 10% to 20% of all nursing home falls cause serious injuries such as fractures.
According to a recent study by National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, Malnutrition and Dehydration in Nursing Homes: Key Issues in Prevention and Treatment, at least a third of the 1.6 million nursing home residents in the United States suffer from malnutrition or dehydration.
Warning Signs of Medication Errors or Abuse: Frequent Vomiting (without illness being the cause), delirium, excessive sleepiness, decreased mobility increase in falls, unexplained changes in behavior or alertness, sudden organ failure and unexplained death.
According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, physical abuse in nursing homes is the top-reported complaint of elder abuse, at 27.4%. Shockingly, over 50% of nursing home staff have confidentially admitted to abusing residents in their care.
One of the more obvious warning signs of elder abuse or neglect is the presence of bed sores. Bed sores, also known as pressure sores, are painful skin ulcers that can be fatal at their worst stage. When they form on nursing home patients, it usually indicates issues of understaffing or negligence.
Michael Glass of RGLZ explains what constitutes abuse or neglect in a nursing home, as well as what to look for and be suspicious of. You can take action against neglectful nursing homes. Discussed in Part 1 is an overview, as well as a discussion of falls and understaffing. Discussed in [...]