Types of nursing home abuse include physical, emotional, financial and sexual.

Physical Abuse

One of the more common forms of Florida nursing home physical abuse is the denial or withholding of basic needs such as food, water, medication, and proper hygiene. This can lead to serious medical problems including dehydration, malnutrition, bed pressure sores, and ultimately, death.

Nursing homes can also be held liable for failing to provide adequate safeguards that cause a resident to fall down and suffer severe physical injury. Contributing factors to a fall include:

• Cluttered or wet floors
• Poorly maintained wheelchairs
• Lack of assistive rails in hallways or restrooms
• Lack of bedrails
• Lack of adequate supervision or an improperly trained staff
• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Over-medication or under-medication
• Inappropriate medication
• Faulty or unsecured windows and doors

Tragically, outright physical assault is not at all uncommon in nursing homes. It is generally at the hands of nursing home staff and fellow residents. Slapping, kicking, shaking, punching, and burning are all forms of abuse that can lead to severe injuries. These include broken bones, head injuries, lacerations or worse.

Evidence of abuse is not always obvious and can be hidden by clothing. Nursing home staff often try to explain or rationalize injuries as the result of a resident simply falling down. Even broken bones may be hard to detect if the victim is bedridden.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional and verbal abuse is often defined as a staff member saying or doing something that is detrimental to a resident’s self-esteem. Examples can include criticizing and insulting a resident, as well as the use of threats, insults, and other forms of humiliation. While Florida nursing home emotional abuse may not lead to physical injury, it can cause severe stress, psychological damage and depression.

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse can be defined as an individual taking or using the money and/or property of a resident with the intent to defraud the victim. It generally involves the removal of a resident’s personal belongings, assets or financial resources without consent, either because the resident was incapacitated and unable to give consent, or because he or she was subjected to intimidation, manipulation or deception. Some of the more common forms of Florida nursing home financial abuse include cashing checks without authorization, forging a signature, fraudulently convincing a resident to sign a contract, will or other document, and outright theft of money or possessions.

Sexual Abuse

Florida nursing home sexual abuse involves any form of inappropriate touching or unwanted sexual activity. Types of behavior or actions that can be considered sexual assault include forcing a resident to view pornographic material, sexual harassment, threats, unwanted kissing and hugging, and genital contact or penetration. Elderly residents are particularly vulnerable and make easy targets for sexual predators, including fellow residents who were improperly monitored by the facility, nursing home staff, and even nursing home visitors.

If you or someone you love has been victimized by abuse, contact the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld P.A. to put a stop to it and seek compensation for physical injures and/or pain and suffering.