Nursing home abuse makes the headlines often enough that it feels like it happens everywhere, every day. It doesn't, but it does happen often enough that the government and the legal field keep watchful eyes the best they can.

In May 2014, the Senate Medical Affairs Committee passed a law that allowed residents to install electronic monitoring in their units for security purposes as a means of deterring and detecting nursing home abuse.

One sad component that makes this tragedy so prevalent is that the victims don't always know they are victims.

If you or someone you love is being hurt or injured in a nursing home, nursing home abuse could be. You don't have to live with it. There is a remedy for it.

An attorney experienced in nursing home negligence and abuse can help you stop this problem and make someone pay if it is justified.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

There are enough kinds of nursing home abuse such that almost anything you can do to neglect or abuse an elderly is a kind of nursing home abuse. The elderly move into these homes for care and sometimes wind up worse than they started when they move in.

The staff members don't care, which is negligence. It is abuse when a staff member intentionally harms a resident because they think older people won't be wise to them.

Types of nursing home abuse:

• General neglect – failure to meet basic needs, not bathing them on purpose, poor hygiene and ignored housekeeping, intentionally avoiding medical care, under-medicating, over-medicating
• Physical abuse and violence
• Emotional and psychological abuse – name-calling, fear-mongering
• Sexual abuse
• Financial abuse – exploiting funds, manipulating financial decisions

What once appeared to be a respite or oasis for you or your loved one might now feel like a terror zone. Any form of abuse is a violation of the South Carolina Nursing Home Bill of Rights.

Protect Yourself or Your Loved Ones With a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

When you or a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse, a South Carolina personal injury attorney or medical malpractice attorney can help. We can get to the bottom of the problem and fight for you to get the justice you deserve. Call us for a review of your case today. You don't have to live like this.

FAQ

Is neglect the same thing as abuse?

It depends on the situation. Neglect is when staff ignores basic needs, and abuse is when basic needs are ignored on purpose.

How can I tell if my loved one has been abused?

There are some signs such as apparent injury, bad hygiene, and medication errors. When they are consistent, make some changes. If your loved one is not themselves when you see them or talk to them, or something seems off, an investigation into the cause of these changes wouldn't hurt. You never want a nursing home staff to not be okay with your loved one seeking medical attention, a common and big red flag.

Is it always the institution's fault?

The institution will bear some responsibility for hiring abusive staff, but it is not always necessarily their fault. If they ignore repeated attempts at resolution, that's a problem. If they witness abuse and fail to report it, that's a problem. Often though, it is one person making a victim, and it creates a huge problem.