Nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious problem. Thousands of elderly patients
have died from accidents or sicknesses resulting from abuse or neglect. Many more
suffer. There have been cases of deaths from starvation, dehydration, bedsores, injuries,
infections and lack of needed medical attention.
Some nursing homes are badly understaffed. In some cases, a single person is responsible
for the care of up to 30 patients. Many of these patients are entirely dependent on them
for food and drink, bathroom needs, bathing and moving. If the staff has limited time,
these needs may not be sufficiently met.
There have also been cases of incompetent or abusive staff. Patients have been
physically, emotionally and sexually abused. Patients that cannot communicate with their
families are especially at risk, because they have no way of letting them know what is
going on.
If you have elderly family in a nursing home or are looking for one, here are some tips on
finding a responsible facility.
While visiting the facility, it should be clean and should not have a bad odor.
Occasionally, even good homes have a smell of urine or feces but these should be dealt
with promptly by the staff. There should not be an overpowering scent of air freshener,
this could indicate an attempt at covering up poor sanitation.
It’s best to visit a resident at the nursing home as opposed to a guided tour. Talk to as
many residents as possible. If you notice any signs of poor hygiene, neglect, or if most of
the residents seem unhappy or distressed, it could be sign that something is wrong
Also look for any bruises or injuries. There should not be a large number of residents in
restraints.
Watch how the staff interacts with residents. They should be readily available when the
residents need them and should be friendly as opposed to treating residents if they are on
an assembly line. Residents should have water readily available to them and those that
need assistance with bedpans or the bathroom should get attention immediately. If you
notice patients waiting for an excessively long time or that staff hurries from one resident
to another, it is a sign that there is a problem.
If it is possible, visit the dining room at mealtime. If there are patients that need assistance
with feeding, watch how they are fed. Often when a nursing home is understaffed, the
staff will rush to feed them all. Those that cannot communicate may not receive adequate
nutrition. A common problem occurs when a staff member tries to feed a resident too
fast. The resident will pull their head back to stop from choking and the staff will take this
as a sign that the resident is finished eating. Also watch for signs of force feeding. Force
feeding is especially dangerous because it can cause aspiration of food, which leads to
pneumonia.
See if the residents are allowed outside. They should allowed outside fairly often to allow
them to get fresh air and sunlight. Also watch to see if immobile or disable residents are
left outside unattended by the staff. This can cause severe sunburn if they are left too
long
Find out how many staff members there are and compare it to the number of residents.
There should be no less than one Certified Nursing assistant per 5-8 residents. If there are
a large number of residents that are totally dependent on the staff, the need for staff may
be higher.
Federal law requires that all nursing home patients have a plan of care. Always obtain a
copy of your family member’s plan of care and check to see if every requirement in their
plan of care is being met.
Warning Signs
The facility does not allow unexpected visits
The staff is uncooperative, does not want your involvement or seems defensive when you
ask about care
A large number of bruises or injuries, and or injuries inconsistent with history
Reluctance of staff to get medical attention where medical attention is needed
Signs of poor hygiene and inadequate care, such as body odor, bed sores and rashes,
lice, soiled clothes or bedding
Weight loss. Elderly people tend to not lose weight in their abdomens, so check the upper
arms or calves instead. It is also important to note that dehydration and malnutrition can cause symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's. Always get a second opinion.
Poor skin condition
Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, lips and poor skin tone
The facility insists your family member be put in diapers even though they can use the
bathroom normally with assistance. Many understaffed facilities will attempt to do this
because it is less work than assisting the patients.
If you suspect neglect or abuse by the staff of a nursing home, move your family member
immediately and report it. Reporting it is especially important because there may be patients whose families are unaware of what is happening. By reporting it, you may put an end to their suffering and possibly even save their lives.
Links
Fatal Neglect
Elder Abuse Prevention
Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Information Center
Fast Facts about Nursing Home Abuse
