Nursing home residents are often overlooked in our society. Because they are often more or less confined to their living quarters, their presence may be all but unknown to many people who are out and about as part of their daily routines. And because many of them are elderly, ill and may have dementia or other related conditions, they can be relatively easily marginalized.
That does not mean, however, that they are to be taken for granted or not treated with dignity. Families who have placed their loved ones in nursing homes expect the professionals who have been entrusted with caring for them to do so with respect and to uphold the dignity of those living in a nursing home. This means having patience with residents who might be difficult to deal with because of their advanced conditions. It also means never abusing a resident, regardless of how frustrated a staff member might get.
Family members get understandably upset when allegations of nursing home abuse come to light. When this is suspected of happening, it may be difficult for concerned family members to get proof of what has been taking place. The son of one nursing home resident in South Carolina, however, took it upon himself to follow up on his mother’s complaints that she was being abused. The man put an audio recorder in his mother’s room and recorded sound of an employee yelling at his mother and then pulling her out of bed with such force that it tore the woman’s skin.
These incidents may be isolated, but they should not go unremarked upon. Experienced attorneys can help families who find themselves in this kind of situation.
Source: WIS-TV, “Rock Hill Police investigate nursing home abuse allegations,” Ashton Pellom, March 19, 2014