Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Washington, DC

Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Many people believe that nursing home abuse is purely physical, but this is not the case. There are actually many types of nursing home abuse and neglect that take place every year, putting lives at risk and causing harm to our elderly population. Here are the most commonly reported instances of nursing home abuse and neglect:

Physical Abuse: Physical abuse is one of the easiest types of abuse to identify because there are often physical marks and bruises. Physical abuse takes place when a person uses physical violence against your loved one, leading to bodily injury, pain, or impairment. This type of abuse takes on many forms, such as:

• Striking
• Kicking
• Pushing
• Pushing or shoving
• Slapping
• Pinching
• Shaking
• Threatening
• Verbal abuse
• Using physical restraints
• Force-feeding

Family members may be able to identify physical abuse that their loved one has suffered at the hands of a nursing home employee by visiting their loved one frequently. It is always a good idea to look for signs of abuse when you visit.

Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse of an elder is any action taken against an elderly person that is of a sexual nature and is unwanted. The person is usually over the age of 60. This type of abuse takes place when a nursing home staff member or another resident who resides in the nursing home make sexual advances on an elderly person who is suffering from mental illness, is not capable of communicating their disapproval of the sexual behavior, or is not able to give consent for the sexual act. These actions take place in many ways, including unwanted touching, assault and battery, and explicit photographing, among other violations.

Here are the signs that you should look for if you suspect your elderly loved one is being sexually abused:

• Injuries to the pelvic area
• Trouble walking or sitting
• Torn, stained, and/or bloody undergarments
• Development of a sexually-transmitted infection (STI)
• Bruising on the inner thighs or genital area
• Anxiety attacks
• Unusual, inappropriate, or aggressive sexual actions
• Bleeding from the genitals or anus
• Pain and irritation in the genitals or anus
• Agitation
• Attempted suicide

Emotional Abuse: Studies show that of all the types of elderly abuse, psychological and emotional abuse may be the most common form. Sadly, emotional abuse is often the most difficult to uncover and often goes unreported. The most common forms of verbal elderly emotional abuse are listed below:

• Intimidation
• Insulting or ridiculing the patient
• Threatening 
• Pretending to harm the patient
• Screaming, yelling, or shouting at the patient
• Humiliating the patient
• Upsetting and guilting the patient 
• Withholding affection and kindness
• Blaming or scapegoating
• Name-calling
• Talking down to/patronizing the patient

There are also non-verbal forms of elderly emotional abuse. Non-verbal emotional abuse is more difficult to pinpoint but is just as serious as verbal abuse. Non-verbal abuse often makes the elderly person feel helpless, isolated, and afraid, which can lead to serious psychological and emotional distress to the nursing home resident. Some of these acts include:

• Taking personal belongings from the resident and hiding them
• Treating the person as a child
• Isolating the patient from other residents
• Stopping the patient from going outside
• Prohibiting the resident from talking to others
• Pretending to hit or harm the resident 
• Terrorizing the resident
• Restricting access to the restroom
• Restricting food or water
• Giving the silent treatment to the resident

Financial Abuse: Financial abuse is a type of abuse that involves using an elderly person’s funds, assets, or property in an illegal manner. Nursing home patients are in a unique position to become victims of financial abuse because, oftentimes, they are more vulnerable and not aware of the deception that is taking place right under their nose. If you or another family member suspect that their elderly loved one is being financially abused, you need to investigate the situation immediately. Here are some examples of elderly financial abuse:

• Stealing money or possessions from an elderly person
• Forging the elderly resident’s signature
• Financially exploiting the elderly person
• Cashing an elderly person’s checks without authorization or permission
• Coercing or deceiving a resident to sign documents, contracts, or a will
• Improper usage of conservatorship, guardianship, or power of attorney

Neglect: Nursing home neglect is the most commonly reported kind of elderly abuse in nursing homes and care facilities across the nation. The frightening statistics indicate that 95% of residents in nursing homes reported some form of neglect within the past year. Nursing home neglect is quite similar to nursing home abuse. There are two key differences: nursing home abuse indicates that the care provider intended to inflict harm on the elderly person, while nursing home neglect is a breach of duty or a form of substandard care that causes harm to the patient. There are four types of nursing home neglect, which are listed below:

• Medical Needs Neglected: When a nursing home or care facility fails to adequately attend to or prevent medical concerns of a patient
• Neglect of Basic Needs: When a nursing home or care facility fails to provide a clean and safe environment for the resident or fails to provide the patient with food and water
• Personal Hygiene Neglect: When the nursing home or care facility does not adequately assist the resident with bathing, brushing teeth, incontinence care, cleaning, laundry, or other basic hygiene activities

Emotional and Social Neglect: When the nursing home staff members intentionally and repeatedly ignore the resident, leave them all alone for extended periods of time, or they are verbally assaulted by an overstressed employee of the facility

Abandonment: Abandonment takes place when an elderly person is deserted by an individual who has promised to care for them. This can ultimately lead to dangerous scenarios, especially when an elderly person is unable to care for themselves and does not know that they have been deserted.

If your elderly or ill loved one has exhibited signs of emotional anxiety or physical injury while living or recovering at a long-term care facility, do not wait to schedule a confidential, free consultation with a Washington, D.C. nursing home abuse attorney at Fay Law Group.

We will evaluate all of the circumstances regarding your concerns and discuss options for pursuing a claim against the facility owners and managers. If you believe something is amiss or believe your loved one suffered a wrongful death, our Washington, D.C. elder neglect lawyers can help you determine if your suspicions are founded, and we can help you seek justice.