As many people become older, they become more and more susceptible to injuries and loss as a result of improper care or exploitation at home or in a nursing home. It is imperative for family members and friends to monitor their loved ones as closely as possible in order to identify signs of abuse early on.
Forms of Nursing Home Negligence
Nursing Home neglect and resulting injuries are becoming more and more common. Understaffing and lack of proper training of personnel can place you or your loved ones at risk. Nursing home abuse and neglect can include:
• Medication and prescription errors;
• Lack of or insufficient fall prevention plan;
• Failure to provide proper medical care;
• Inadequate supervision;
• Failure to refer residents for timely medical treatment;
• Physical and sexual assault (by staff or other residents);
• Malnutrition or dehydration.
Forms of Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is also becoming more prevalent as many of our family members become older and less able to recognize and deal with physical and emotional abuse or threats. Elder abuse takes many different forms, including:
• Physical Abuse – Physical abuse can result in physical pain, injury, or impairment. Such abuse can include hitting or shoving, as well as inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement;
• Emotional and Psychological Abuse – In emotional or psychological abuse, people speak to or treat elderly persons in ways that cause severe emotional and psychological injury;
• Sexual Abuse – Sexual elder abuse is contact with an elderly person without the elder’s consent. This includes physical sex acts, but activities such as showing an elderly person pornographic material, forcing the person to watch sex acts, or forcing the elder to undress are also considered sexual elder abuse;
• Neglect or Abandonment – The neglect or abandonment of caregivers who are obliged to provide care can be intentional or unintentional. Sometimes it is based on ignorance or denial that an elderly person needs as much care as he or she does;
• Financial Exploitation – Financial exploitation includes unauthorized use of an elderly person’s funds or property. This can involve misuse an elder’s personal cheques, credit cards, or accounts, theft of cash, forging of signatures and identity theft.
How We Can Help
At BOYNECLARKE LLP, we are committed to preventing further elder abuse and neglect by making those responsible pay compensation. Our team represents people who have suffered serious harm because of abuse or neglect in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, as well as the victims of elder abuse throughout the Maritime Provinces.
If a member of your family has suffered significant harm or a wrongful death because of nursing home abuse, neglect or elder abuse, we can assist you in recovering financial compensation.
Connect with a member of our team today to schedule your free consultation. To contact a member of our team email us at personalinjury@boyneclarke.ca, call us at 902-469-9500 or 1-866-339-3400 or complete an online contact form.