Nursing Home Problems And Abuse - What You Didn't Know

Nursing home problems / abuse is one of those issues that make a lot of us cringe. After all, a nursing home is a place we entrust our elderly to, when we can't care for them ourselves. We trust that a nursing home will deliver the best care possible. It is very disturbing to hear that some of these homes exploit and abuse the elderly, who are often helpless to do anything about it.

A Disturbing Trend

Exactly how rampant is nursing home abuse? Studies show that one in every three nursing homes is reported for some form of abuse. More than 30 of nursing homes in the country are understaffed. And yet, despite these figures only 20% of abuse cases are ever reported. News reports seem to be even more shocking. In 2007, two nurses were found guilty of withholding patient medication. A large and prominent nursing home was found guilty of not reporting abuse when one of its residents died as the result of a head injury.

The biggest reason for this kind of abuse is the fact that people don't recognize the symptoms of nursing home abuse. These are some of the telltale signs that a loved one is facing problems or abuse in a nursing home.

1. Unexplained fractures, sprains, cuts or bruises
2. Bedsores and frozen joints
3. Unexplained vaginal or anal tearing as well as unexplained sexually transmitted diseases
4. Residents are kept in a state of over-medication
5. Changes in wills or other financial documents
6. Sudden withdrawals from bank accounts and change in banking methods
7. Drastic change in behavior
8. Resident is not allowed to see visitors without a staff member present
9. Visitations are delayed or suspended without reason
10. Loss of possessions

Many people wonder how this kind of abuse can occur in a nursing home. The truth is that many homes are not very stringent about their employment policy. This means that people with a criminal background can easily be employed. A lot of nursing homes are understaffed and are stretched for funds, leaving opportunities for neglect and abuse to occur. In other cases, the management and inspection committees are just not vigilant enough. Many nursing homes don't follow regulations because they know that it's rare for a nursing home to be fined.

What You Can Do

Thankfully, with the rise in abuse cases there has also been a rise in public awareness and resources to help people with nursing home abuse problems. A number of support groups are available right across the country, which provides a range of emotional and legal assistance. Apart from numerous private organizations, government organizations like the National Center on Elder Abuse (http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/index.aspx) offer resources for both the elderly and their families.

This leads us to a very important question. What are the features of a good nursing home? A good nursing home and its administration should be licensed. Background checks should be done on all staff and special service units should also be available. Nursing homes should also have abuse prevention training programs. And what about Medicare? Contrary to popular belief, Medicare does not automatically pay for 100 days of a nursing home stay. It will pay for 20 days at a skilled facility at full cost. Most nursing home residents pay out of their own savings, after which they are eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid will cover fees for residents in government-approved nursing homes.

The sad truth is that nursing home neglect and abuse is more common than you think. Being aware of its tell-tale signs and knowing how to deal with it is important to anyone who has a loved one in a nursing home.