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Nursing Home Abuse

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Nursing Home Abuse
Vicki Jones
HCS/430
January 21, 2012

Nursing Home Abuse
Elder abuse is a serious problem that affects thousands of elderly citizens each year. Nursing home abuse happens in many forms and is all damaging in one way or another. Nursing home abuse can be in form of emotional, physical, financial, homicide, sexual, neglect, inappropriate restraints, isolation, verbal, and intimidation (Nursing home abuse center, 2010).
One of the biggest forms of abuse in nursing homes is neglect. Neglect can happen because of lack of training of staff, overcrowded facility with lack of aids to care for patients. When staff become overworked and have more patients to care for then they can handle they sometimes cut corners, and this results in neglect.
Falls are one of the biggest problems in nursing home assisted living facilities. If a nursing home is under staffed and overcrowded with residents there might not be adequate aids to ensure that residents with walking issues are getting the help they need to get up and down. A well run nursing home should be able to prevent most falls staff should ensure all environmental issues are taken care of like wet floors for instance. Neglect is a serious condition and usually results in the decline of general health of the resident.
Families can ask questions if they notice family member is not being treated right, or consistently show signs of bruising, abrasions, or cuts. Ask other residents if the family member has fallen. The family can obtain a lawyer to oversee the residents care, and to form a lawsuit if the neglect is found to be true. After the abuse is stopped it is important for the resident to understand it was not their fault the abuse happened and to take back control. There are nursing home abuses hotlines family can contact to help. The National center on elderly abuse website offers links in

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