Abuse in Nursing Homes

The decision to put an elderly family member into a nursing home is a difficult decision to make. Many times, a family cannot provide the proper care that an elder family member requires.

Unfortunately, nursing homes do not always provide the care that is expected, resulting in abuse that affects not only the elderly victim but also the family. An elderly family member’s physical and emotional well-being and even life could be compromised.

Situations that constitute nursing home abuse include:

• Overmedication of patients (medication errors)
• Residents receiving insufficient food or water
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Resident’s medical and hygienic needs are neglected

A victim of nursing home neglect could be unable to express to a family member the abuse that he or she is subject to. Residents often enter a nursing home in sensitive physical or mental states, making them easily manipulated and vulnerable to acts of abuse.