Nursing Home Abuse Cases: Information You Can Use

A nursing home’s sole purpose is to give physical, occupational and rehabilitative therapies. In the United States, there were more than 16,000 nursing homes in 2002 and all of them were asked to work under governmental and legal requirements such as (1) have a licensed nursed on duty 24/7, and (2) during at least one shift each day, one of those nurses must be a Registered Nurse (a professional nurse who supervises the assistants).

Depending on the type of assistance the resident needs, daily costs of a nursing home can run $350 on up. When a family decides to put a dear one into one of these places, they rely on the good will and intentions of the crew of the home. They expect to get great attention, so that good physical and emotional standards of living are adhered to. Unfortunately, this is not what happens all the time. Besides representing a place of relief for many, nursing homes have seen all sorts of injustices and abuses behind their walls.

Different eye witnesses and surveys have shown that nursing home abuse is a reality and that it is sadly underreported. Among the reasons for this alarming percentage of cases of elder mistreatment are stressful working conditions (staff shortages), staff burnout and inadequate staff training. If the work conditions are not the best at nursing homes, this is obviously shown in the treatment the staff gives the residents. There have been dreadful and unbelievable cases of elder abuse: open wounds, cuts, bruises, burns caused by cigarettes, caustics, acids, dehydration, malnutrition, unclean conditions, and fecal or urine odor.

If you find out that a relative or a friend of yours is undergoing one of these situations, try to contact the immediate authorities and report the case.

About The Author:

Visit www.hugeseettlements.com to report nursing home abuse. View nursing home inspections results and even submit other nursing home inspections results and personal injury cases.

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