Nursing home abuse is becoming a major problem for facilities across the country. Abuse can take many forms, including physical, sexual, financial, and psychological. For most people, the thought of inflicting harm on a vulnerable nursing home resident is repulsive. So, why are there so many victims? Here are some of the most common causes of nursing home abuse:
Inexperience
Sometimes, the abuse inflicted upon nursing home residents is a result of inexperience. Nursing home employees that are not properly trained may not know how to properly care for the elderly. Dealing with residents that require a lot of attention may be too much to handle for those who don’t have a lot of experience. These employees may lash out and become physically or emotionally abusive when they feel overwhelmed or frustrated.
Understaffing
The senior population is growing, which means more and more people are entering nursing homes. Some nursing homes may not have enough employees to handle the number of residents within a facility. This could lead to neglect, which occurs when a resident is not given the food, medication, water, or care that he needs. It can also lead to abuse if the overworked and stressed out nursing home employee takes out his frustrations on the innocent resident.
Failure to Properly Screen Employees
Nursing home facilities should carefully screen job applicants to ensure they are only hiring those who will treat residents with the utmost care. Unfortunately, some nursing homes fail to do so and end up hiring people who do not have the best intentions. For example, a nursing home may hire someone who has a history of committing petty theft. This person may take advantage of the vulnerable nursing home residents and steal their belongings while on the job. This is a form of financial abuse, and nursing homes can prevent it by properly screening potential employees.
Lack of Supervision
Most cases of abuse involve a nursing home employee inflicting harm on a resident, but there are some cases where one resident abuses another. Nursing homes that adequately supervise their residents would be able to prevent this type of abuse. But unfortunately, residents are not always supervised by nursing home employees.
If you or a loved one has been abused in a nursing home, seek legal representation from Reisch Law Firm today. Let our attorneys investigate your case so we can help you seek justice against the abusers. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
