Nursing home abuse is on the rise. It is difficult since many are not reported. At times abuse also goes unnoticed by overworked staff. Many miss due to overwhelmed staff or just blatant disregard. Now, statistics show that due to this abuse is on the rise.
About Nursing Home Abuse
Each year in the United States, an estimated 2.1 million seniors are the victims of some form of abuse. Many elderly do not report the abuse or neglect. Unfortunately, abused elders die earlier than those who are well cared for. According to the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), the maltreatment and abuse of the elderly is a significant problem among the elderly population in America. It is more common in women over age 80. Abuse victims are at a 300 perfect increase of dying within three years. Unfortunately, only 1 out of every 6 elderly persons report the event.
Rising Rates of Elderly Abuse
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows abuse-related citations nationwide are on the rise, jumping to 4,107 in 2018, up from 3,083 in 2016. The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said this report is missing many cases of abuse since 1 in 5 nursing homes fail to report potential cases. Plus, investigations were few and far between. Only 100 out of the thousands received a closer look.
In the report, one of the incidents was an unidentified nurse aide abused in the shower. Inspectors said the resident was yelling while the certified nurse aide began hitting the resident and grabbing his face. The man screamed due to the temperature of the water. However, the abusive CNA slapped his face and held his mouth shut. An earlier version of this story gave the current name of the facility where these incidents occurred. That name has been removed because the facility was being operated under a different name by a previous owner at that time.
Incidences like these are becoming more and more common. However, unless more people report the abuse the only way to stop it is to take civil action against a facility. This will send a message that elderly abuse will not be tolerated.
Get Justice for a Loved One
If you suspect abuse or neglect, do not accept denials. Instead, contact a knowledgeable lawyer experienced with representing victims. When an abuser injures a resident at a care facility, it is not always obvious what happened and legal liability. The evidence available is often incomplete and may be self-serving for the defendant – the nursing home. This is why a free consultation with us is so important. We have been assisting the injured for 20 years. We help clients from all over the country. Our consultations are completely free. Call today.