...Nursing Home Abuse Nursing homes are meant to be a safe haven for the elderly to cared for in their golden years and instead of become a nightmare for a lot who have been subjected to countless acts of abuse and neglect. Furthermore, the significant others of those in nursing homes are subjected to highly stressful conditions by having to meet harsh economic requirements. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, there are nearly 17,000 nursing homes in the United States that currently care for 1.6 million residents, a figure expected to quadruple to 6.6 million residents by 2050. In past years, there have been reports that nearly 1/3 of all nursing homes have been cited for abuse violations. Each year the number of incidents increases while there is a significant underreporting of nursing home abuse and neglect. More than twice as many nursing homes were cited for abuse in 2006 and with numbers expected to quadruple these numbers are going to rise. Reports show that there are thousands upon thousands of abuse cases yearly and investigators believe many violations go undetected or are simply not reported, leading federal regulations to believe the problem is underestimated. Even when serious issues have been identified federal and state enforcement policies have not been effective in ensuring that the issues are corrected and remain corrected. The first issue I have found with abuse of the elderly in nursing homes is economic. Medicaid and Medicare which cover...
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...The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study, conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse at the American Public Human Services Association for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, examined the prevalence of elder abuse in the United States. It found approximately 450,000 elderly persons were abused or neglected (Wallace, 2005). While the majority of abuse happens in the home by a family member, there is a rise in the amount of elderly abuse being reported in nursing homes. In 2000, states were asked to indicate the number of elder abuse reports received from nursing homes. Based on figures from 54 states, the total number of reports was 472,813 (Teaster, 2003). A study prepared by the minority staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee found that 30% of nursing homes in the United States, 5,283 facilities, were cited for almost 9,000 instances of abuse from 1999 to 2001 (Waxman, 2001). The report stated that 1,601 of these instances could have or did cause the resident serious injury or death. The instances reported ranged from physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, bedsores, inadequate medical care, malnutrition, dehydration, preventable accidents, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Some other shocking finds of the report were that more than 40% of the abuse violations were not reported until formal complaints was brought by residents or family members. 1,327 of the nursing homes were cited more than once...
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...home abuse. Everyone should be educated on the issue to discuss with elders what may be the best option for them to help them feel protected. They should be given the care they deserve as well as their freedom and safety. Every year senior citizens are being put into nursing homes and are at risk of getting abused. According to The Meyer Law Firm, “Each year approximately 2.1 million older Americans fall victim to in one or more forms.” (The Meyer Law Firm 4). This is a big rate compared to the 3.9 million elders who are put into nursing homes. The majority of nursing home abuse cases are not reported to police right away and are not taken seriously. President Donald Trump has been a very big barrier to stopping nursing home abuse and...
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...1-800-MALPRACTICE Website Nursing Home Neglect/Abuse Bed Sores (link to Bed Sores section in Injuries section?) Bed sores, also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers, are a common sign of nursing home neglect. This is because those who are elderly, injured and ill are often forced to rely on nursing home staff for repositioning because they cannot easily move on their own. Statistics - According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one out of 10 nursing home residents suffer from a pressure ulcer, or bed sore. - Long-term residents are usually more likely to have pressure ulcers than those who have been in nursing homes for less than a year. - Residents under the age of 64 years were more likely than...
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...In the video, the seniors who live in a nursing home consider the word abuse in a new different way. They wanted other people to hear their message, comprehend their obvious comments on what is like to be an ignored person when you are in pain, and perceive that many things you would not think of unless you were a resident. These old people who are unable to care for themselves give us their perspective on the unacceptable and unhelpful attitudes, lack of response to described ache that could contribute to a number of medical conditions, as well as the worker’s lack of respect for them. The purpose of this video is to understand the residents’ insight of abuse together with the approaches they are developing to use their own rights as valuable...
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...for the person when they are no longer able to do so, and where they will live. In today's society, nursing homes are a favored choice regardless of the gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status with approximately 352, 300 seniors living in special-care facilities throughout Canada (Stat Can, 2013). To many, nursing homes are seen as an ideal living arrangement for their loved elders, unfortunately that is not the reality for all seniors in these nursing homes. What seniors are led to believe is their new haven, may in fact, be just the opposite. Elders in Ontario nursing homes are being beaten, neglected and even sexually assaulted by people who were hired to care for them (McLean & Welsh, 2011). According to the reports that the Star was able to obtain, more than 10 residents in Ontario each month are verbally, physically and sexually assaulted (McLean & Welsh, 2011). Many reported abuse cases have been life-threatening and have led to death due to assault and neglect. Despite the provincial vow of improved care in these homes, it is evident that seniors are facing the same problems with abuse in nursing homes today. On November 17th, 2011, the Star examined 70 percent of the inspection reports from last year, 1500 reports in total, and serious problems were located in 900 of the cases. Of these 900, approximately 350 revealed neglect of seniors, 125 were abuse related and the remainder found other types of mistreatment and poor care (McLean & Welsh, 2011)...
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...this. Nursing home abuse includes physical, mental and even sexual abuse. Yes elders are actually being sexually abused in nursing homes. But I think that I have some ideas that could decrease if not erase nursing home abuse and neglect from history. I will educate the public and all current and future Healthcare providers in how to spot these issues, create an anonymous hotline for elderly and/or their family members, and even a firm that conducts an investigation of the accused. I believe that this will eventually end this horrible thing from ever occurring again....
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... 2 The thought of abuse in elderly are very disturbing but it does happen. They are very vulnerable and dependent on other people to function in everyday life. Resident abuse in nursing homes facility or home care facility is a problem all over the world, but has become less of a concern in America, because the Department of Health Services become very strict on rules and regulation for nursing home and home care. This is for the protection of elderly and to provide the best care for them and have a quality of living. Nursing homes provide best patient care and services for elder patients and well being of these residents are provided. Most of the workers in the nursing home are caring, compassionate and conscientious and help their patients in their everyday life from bathing, eating, activities, and total patient care if needed. However, some time in other facility, staff, fellow residents or sometimes visitors to the facility may be guilty of abusing patients in some point, this will cost a lot because it is a federal felony to abuse a patient and may cause jail time and penalty. Different Types of Elder Abuse: •Physical Abuse: The most common type of abuse in elderly. This is a type of abuse that the caregiver force the senior citizen to do something that the caregiver wants him to do. Physical abuse can be hitting, pushing, confining and restraining the elderly. •Emotional Abuse: This type of abuse can cause emotional stress and...
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...Nursing Home Crisis Many may not understand what goes on at a nursing home. They think that it is easy work just taking care of the basic needs of a resident. As for the time that I have been a nurse aide I have found how hard of work being a nurse aide is and how much many nursing home forget the importance of meeting the basic needs of their residents. You would think that this would be the most important aspect that all nursing homes must meet, but just like every other business a nursing home is also money base, it is not charity. Many times in this hard economy nursing homes have to make cuts, and unfortunately they are cutting all in the wrong places. Many times office jobs in the nursing home are the last to be cut and the nurse aides are the first to be cut, and the reason being is because many states do not have laws stating the aide to resident ratio. Today, a local nursing home has just got a new hope in recovering the problem of the loss of success that their nursing home has encountered. They have begun to cut nurse aides and have begun to run the halls short-handed, unfortunately their complaints have went up and their residents have become very unhappy. The nursing home has now decided to fire the current administrator and hire a new administrator in hope for new ideas and better success for their nursing home. Although the new administrator has many difficult problems to solve she has a lot of faith in recovering the problem the nursing home is now encountering...
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...Social Problems 2601 “Aging Nursing Home Dysfunctions” Do you have a loved one in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or long-term care center? Do you suspect neglect or abuse happening or even worse a sudden, unexplained death? Do not allow owners of nursing homes to line their pockets with your hard earned money, while their facilities are dangerous and unsanitary for your family members. Abuse is happening everyday all over the world; senior citizens are at a vulnerable stage in life, when they may not be able to defend themselves. Every year, tens of thousands of elderly Americans are abused in their own homes, and even in facilities responsible for their care. If you suspect that an elderly person you know is being harmed physically or emotionally by a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver or being preyed upon financially. By learning the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and how to act on behalf of an elderly person who is being abused, you’ll not only be helping someone else but strengthening defenses against elder abuse in the future. Many early signs of elderly abuse are commonly over looked due to carelessness, lack of knowledge and many times understaffed facilities. Look out for the signs of abuse and or neglect. Signs and Symptoms of Abuse and or neglect are as followed; Visible injuries are, naturally, the type that you will pick up on right away. Examples are broken bones due to extreme falls, cuts, scars, extensive bruising and bed sores (pressure...
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... | Elderly Abuse and Neglect When discussing abuse and neglect we often think of children first. That being said, children are not the only ones who will be abused and/or neglected. In fact, this happens to some elderly as well. While some elderly may be productive enough to care for themselves, others are not. The end result is a complete (or close to complete) dependency on someone else for their needs. In addition, just like with children, this dependency can lead to abuse and/or neglect. There has been an increase in the number of elderly that have been subjected to violence and mistreatment. This type of treatment is associated with the individual’s dependency on others; whether it be a relative, acquaintance and/or institution (Meadows, 2010). According to estimates “between 1 and 2 million Americans aged 65 years or older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for case or protection (National Research Council Panel to Review Risk and Prevalence of elder abuse and neglect, 2003)” (Meadows, 2010, p. 87). The type of abuse that elderly get subjected to is not only physical, it may also be emotional. Obviously, abuse may take on many different forms and may include: financial abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. This abuse is not limited to certain circumstances it can happen in poor, middle-class or upper income household...
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...Elder Abuse Veronica Dalton SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Dr. James Prentice May 26, 2012 Elder Abuse Elder abuse is a very serious issue in America today. The baby boomer generation has hit their elder years and drastically changed the numbers for this age group. Because the number has gone up so quickly we have limited people willing to take care of the elderly. The cost for care has gone up also, making more families opt to keep their loved ones at home instead of sending them to the nursing homes. The fear of elder abuse is higher now because of the cost rise in elder care. Nursing homes are being frowned upon because they do not have enough staff to properly take care of the patients they have. This presents a big problem for society because either choice, nursing homes or in home care can have a negative outcome for our elderly. Abuse is happening more often because we were not prepared in advance to take care of this jump in patients. This paper will look at this issue from a utilitarianism point of view as well as an emotivism point of view. From a utilitarianism point of view the best way to fix this problem would be for more people to pay attention to the elderly. Everyone working together to fix this issue would be the best route. Leaving it to only a few people is not going to work. Laws have been passed and yet we still have elder abuse going on. For the elderly that are being taken care of in their homes there...
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...According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, elder abuse is common is in community settings such as nursing homes. These numbers are part of many reasons why others do not receive the proper health care that is needed. Not only is it absurd for these statistics to be high, but it also is absurd for these two statistics to be within the healthcare profession. With the baby booming population being at an all-time high, many of them turn to long-term living facilities. Being that nurses are more hands on with patients in any facility, but more importantly, being more involved with older patients in LTCF (long-term care facilities), it is crucial that we examine the reasoning behind these numbers. This is a representation of the lack of passion, integrity, and proper education regarding the profession of nursing. With the exception of not having anyone else to care for them full time, residents have no choice in how much they may depend on a nurse. Due to things such as chronic illnesses, mental disorders, and psychological deformities, the residents of rehabilitation centers and long term care facilities instills trust with the nurses. The humility of the resident leaves their vulnerability levels to be heightened in the nursing and resident relationship. Vulnerability within the resident opens up room for all different types of abuse. This can range from sexual, psychological, emotion, and physical abuse. The most common type of abuse in the healthcare industry stems from the...
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...LTC 352 Unit 2: Lessons 4-6 G Garrett Lesson 4 1. Use the information you have gained in this lesson to identify key resident right issues in the case below: The resident is an alert, 65-year-old male. A fractured hip occurred when he fell at home. He lived alone up until this time. He was hospitalized following surgery and received physical therapy while in the hospital. He is alert and oriented. He shows no signs of mental illness. He suffers from COPD, occasional CHF, and osteoporosis. The nursing home facility’s physician explains the treatment plan to the resident, which includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, and a low salt diet. The resident has no complaints, except that he is happy to be wheeled around in the wheelchair by the staff. He refuses PT and OT. Also, he keeps a salt shaker in his shirt pocket and takes his meals in his room. What is your plan as the Administrator in the nursing home in caring for this resident while balancing his resident rights? As the Administrator I will ensure the resident rights for this resident are provided and that the facility’s staff follows policies and procedures. Upon Admissions the resident would be provided a copy of the facility’s admission packet/contract, including payment sources and written information regarding his rights and facility policies. At the time of admissions the resident would be given written information concerning his rights to make decision concerning medical care, including...
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...ELDER ABUSE IN NURSING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF DEMENTIA/SPECIAL CARE UNITS BY CHRISTINA KAY FALK THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Community Health in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013 Urbana, Illinois Adviser: Stephen J. Notaro, Ph.D. ii ELDER ABUSE IN NURSING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF DEMENTIA/SPECIAL CARE UNITS By: Christina K. Falk Elder abuse is a topic that impacts everyone in America at some point in their life. Special care units also called dementia units are protected areas in a nursing home that are specially designed for dementia/Alzheimer patients. This thesis reviewed how a special care unit in a nursing home affect the number and severity of deficiencies reported to Medicare. The data was collected from Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare system and the Illinois Public Health Department. This study reviewed 770 nursing homes in Illinois were reviewed, 141 had special care units during the time of data collection. The facilities had a range of total deficiencies from one to 74 with Level of Harm ratings ranging from one to four on a four-point scale. The results showed that residents in a nursing facility that has a special care unit are at a greater risk of a higher Level of Harm but no difference in the number of deficiencies. Possible causes of this greater risk are due to the intrinsic nature of the population in special care units, the need for policy and procedural...
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