Nursing Home Negligence

Nursing home negligence can occur in various forms:

• Physical Abuse
• Medical Negligence, Malpractice and Neglect
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional or Psychological Abuse
• Abandonment
• Financial Exploitation
• Self-neglect

Signs and symptoms of this kind of physical abuse include but are not limited to:

• Bruises, welts, lacerations, burns
• Broken bones, and skull fractures
• Cuts, punctures and other lacerations
• Sprains, dislocations, and internal injuries/bleeding
• Broken eyeglasses/frames, and signs of being restrained
• Findings of medication overdose or under utilization of prescribed drugs
• A nursing home resident’s report of being hit, slapped, kicked, or mistreated
• A nursing home resident’s sudden change in behavior
• A nursing home worker’s refusal to allow visitors to see a nursing home resident alone

Signs and symptoms of neglect and medical negligence include but are not limited to:

• Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bedsores, and poor personal hygiene
• Unattended or untreated health problems
• Hazardous or unsafe living condition/arrangements
• Unsanitary and unclean living conditions (for example, dirt, fleas, lice on person, soiled bedding, fecal/urine smell, inadequate clothing)
• A nursing home resident’s report of being mistreated

Signs and symptoms of sexual abuse include but are not limited to:

• Bruises around the breasts or genital area
• Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
• Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
• Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
• A nursing home resident’s report of being sexually assaulted or raped

Signs and symptoms of emotional/psychological abuse include but are not limited to:

• Being emotionally upset or agitated
• Being extremely withdrawn and non communicative or non responsive
• Unusual behavior usually attributed to dementia (for example, sucking, biting, rocking)
• A nursing home resident’s report of being verbally or emotionally mistreated

Signs and symptoms of abandonment include but are not limited to:

• A nursing home resident’s own report of being abandoned

Elder abuse signs and symptoms of financial or material exploitation include but are not limited to:

• Sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money by a person accompanying the nursing home resident
• The inclusion of additional names on a nursing home resident’s bank signature card
• Unauthorized withdrawal of the nursing home resident’s funds using the resident's ATM card
• Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
• Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
• Substandard care being provided or bills unpaid despite the availability of adequate financial resources
• Discovery of a nursing home resident’s signature being forged for financial transactions or for the titles of his/her possessions
• Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming their rights to a nursing home resident’s affairs and possessions
• The provision of services that are not necessary
• A nursing home resident’s report of financial exploitation.

Signs and symptoms of self-neglect include but are not limited to:

• Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated or improperly attended medical conditions, and poor personal hygiene
• Hazardous or unsafe living conditions/arrangements (for example, improper wiring, no indoor plumbing, no heat, no running water)
• Unsanitary or unclean living quarters (for example, animal/insect infestation, no functioning toilet, fecal/urine smell)
• Inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing, lack of the necessary medical aids (for example, eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures)
• Grossly inadequate housing

Resident rights usually include:

• Respect: The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Services and Fees: You must be informed in writing about services and fees before you enter the nursing home.
• Money: The right to manage your own money or to choose someone else you trust to do this for you.
• Privacy: The right to privacy, and to keep and use your personal belongings and property as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights, health, or safety of others.
• Medical Care: The right to be informed about your medical condition, medications, and to see you own doctor. You also have the right to refuse medications and treatments.