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Will Snapchat be the Next Type of Nursing Home Abuse?

snapchat and nursing home abuse

For many nursing home residents, social media is not part of their everyday vocabulary. While many elderly residents are unaware of the newest social media platforms, that, unfortunately, does not make them immune to abuse that can come along with them.

In one of our previous posts, we discussed how nursing home abuse can come in many forms and about how abuse via social media is on the rise. Now we are seeing more and more instances of elderly abuse, specifically on the mobile app, Snapchat. Nursing home workers are using social media to embarrass patients, leading us to ask: will Snapchat become the next type of nursing home abuse?

Earlier this summer, a woman found out about this social media platform when nursing home workers shared pictures and a video of her grandmother on the toilet.

According to Cox Media Group, this is just one of several new cases being reported nationwide wherein nursing home patients and residents are being mocked and exploited on social media.

Another case has been filed in Massachusetts as a result of two nurse’s aides having posted a picture of one of their patients and captioning it “Chucky’s Bride.”

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley sent a letter to the Justice Department demanding a nationwide investigation.  Grassley states, “In every case, it is a form of elderly abuse.”

He has also reached out to Medicare and Medicaid to inquire if anything can be done during nursing home inspections to prevent and stop this new kind of nursing home abuse.

If you or a loved one was the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact the D|K|R| team to learn more about possibly filing a claim. Pursing these cases through legal action can be confusing, but they can have significant results and can provide reassurance that this kind of abuse may not happen to the families of others. Let our family fight for yours.

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