The many faces of nursing home abuse and neglect

Elder abuse isn’t only about bedsores or cuts and bruises.  It can be subtle, and can take many forms.  If you have the feeling that something isn’t quite right at your loved one’s nursing home, don’t be afraid to speak up.

If you are confused about what might be considered nursing home or assisted living abuse, here are some different types:

• Physical abuse that involves hitting or harming an individual’s body
• Neglect is when caregivers fail to meet a person’s basic needs, such as failing to provide medication, causing malnutrition or dehydration by failing to feed or offer drinks, failing to supervise a resident who subsequently falls and hurts themselves, and more.
• Emotional abuse includes yelling, insults, intimidation, threats and harassment of a resident.
• Sexual abuse involves inappropriate sexual touching, conduct or penetration against a resident’s will or without a resident’s consent.
• Financial exploitation happens when somebody misuses a resident’s bank accounts or takes control of their insurance, checking or savings accounts, insurance or other financial documents without consent.

Being alert about the different forms of nursing home abuse is the first step towards prevention.  If you know what to look for, you are more likely to spot a small problem before it becomes a major issue.

Please read “Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect” to learn more about how to spot nursing home abuse and neglect.