Many families do not have the ability to care for elderly family members, which means that they are forced to leave them to the care of a nursing home. However, ensuring that loved ones are well treated can be a difficult task. Unfortunately, some residents suffer abuse and neglect in nursing homes, including substandard care, starvation, and sexual abuse. In addition, advocates generally believe Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect is underreported because many residents are unable to voice their concerns due to their age or developmental impairments.
Nursing Homes’ Duty to Protect Residents from Abuse
A nursing home may be liable for acts or omissions that result in injuries to residents if the nursing home failed to exercise reasonable care to protect residents. All long-term care facility residents have a right to live in a safe environment, free from mistreatment. Abuse can take different forms, from physical abuse to verbal and mental abuse. A nursing home facility is expected to have policies and procedures to prevent abuse and neglect by prohibiting abusive practices as well as investigating and reporting allegations of abuse and neglect.
90-Year-Old Resident Claims Staff Member Beat Her After Wetting Bed
According to one news source, a woman was recently accused of beating a 90-year-old nursing home resident. The woman accused was identified as a 44-year-old nursing assistant at a Texas nursing home. Based on the resident’s report, police allege that the staff member beat the resident for wetting the bed and wearing too many pull ups.
Police were called to the nursing home after the resident said she was assaulted during the night by the woman. The resident said that the woman laid her on her stomach and hit her several times on her back because the woman was mad she wet her bed and because she said she wears too many pull ups. The woman was taken to the hospital after the incident and said that she is scared to return to the nursing home. The staff member is reported to have prior misdemeanor convictions for burglary of a vehicle and criminal trespass, but the nursing home declined to comment on the incident.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services shows that the nursing home has been cited for 11 deficiencies. They include failing to develop a complete care plan that meets all of a resident’s needs, failing to make sure the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean, and comfortable, and failing to store, prepare, and serve food under sanitary conditions. The deficiencies were corrected after the citations. There have also been five complaints alleging abuse at the nursing home since June 2012, but none of the complaints was substantiated.
Has a Loved One Suffered from Abuse or Neglect?
If you suspect a loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect at a long-term care facility, contact a nursing home negligence attorney. Residents are entitled to proper care and to be free from mistreatment. An experienced nursing home attorney can advise you on how to determine if your loved one has been abused or neglected, and whether to pursue a lawsuit against the facility. The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have nearly two decades of experience representing victims throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. For a free consultation, contact us at 800-654-1949 or 410-654-3600 or by filling out our online form.
More Blog Posts:
The Presence of Hidden Cameras in Nursing Homes Is Resulting in Increased Transparency, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 28, 2017.
Family Sues Nursing Home After Failing to Revive Resident for Over 30 Minutes, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published July 14, 2017.