When most people hear the phrase “nursing home abuse,” images are often conjured of an elderly patient in a dark room being attended by a physically abusive nursing home employee. To be sure, this behavior does occur in nursing homes across Maryland, but that level of conduct far exceeds the lower boundaries of what is considered nursing home abuse under the law.
Nursing homes have a duty to care for and provide adequate care to those whom they accept into their care. When this duty is violated, nursing home management as well as the individual employee or employees engaging in the abuse may be held liable in a civil court of law.
Nursing home abuse can occur any time a nursing home employee violates the rights or dignities of a patient. While this certainly includes physical abuse, it extends far past it. For example, emotional abuse, financial abuse, psychological abuse, and invasion of a resident’s privacy can also be grounds for a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
Violating a Resident’s Dignity and Invading Their Privacy
Just because a loved one is admitted into a nursing home does not mean they lose their right to privacy or their right to be respected as another human being. However, that is just what has been happening at nursing homes across the country, according to a recent Washington Post article. According to the article, there has been a surge of posts on social media depicting nursing home residents partially or fully nude or in other compromised positions.
Most often, the posts are sent through programs like Snap Chat, where a picture is only available to view for a number of seconds. One post shows a nursing home resident sitting on a bed-side toilet, while nearby employees laugh at her and sing. Another post shows an employee slapping a resident in the face with a nylon strap, while the resident cried out “Don’t! Don’t!”
The article notes that nursing homes claim to be concerned about this type of behavior, at least in their statements to the public. However, the fact remains that these posts are not being discovered by nursing home management but by third parties.
Is Your Loved One Suffering in a Maryland Nursing Home?
If you have a loved one in a Maryland nursing home, and you suspect that the employees are not treating your loved one with the dignity and respect they deserve, you should consult with a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney to discuss what options you or your loved one may have. As noted above, nursing homes accept a duty to care for their residents, and when failures like these occur, they can often be held financially responsible for their breaches. To learn more, speak with one of the dedicated Maryland nursing home abuse attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen. Call 410-654-3600 to set up your free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Understaffing: The Number One Cause of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published December 15, 2015.
Recovering for a Family Member Who Was Abused in a Maryland Nursing Home, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published December 8, 2015.