Five Alarming Nursing Home Abuse Stats in 2024
Nursing homes in Florida, and throughout the entire country, are notoriously understaffed. The staff members who do work in these facilities are often overworked and feel immense stress. Still, this is no reason to abuse elderly residents. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is far more common than many people realize. Our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer outlines five alarming stats in 2024 that all families should know.
One in Ten Nursing Home Residents Experience Abuse Every Year
Throughout the country, one in ten nursing home residents are the victims of abuse each year. Considering the expense of placing a loved one in a nursing home, it is unconscionable that so many residents suffer at the hands of the people who are trusted to treat them with dignity and respect. With so many residents being victimized, it is critical that family members know the signs of abuse so they can stop it from happening.
Psychological Abuse is the Most Common Form
When many people think of nursing home abuse, they often think it is physical. While punching, hitting, pushing, pinching, and other forms of physical abuse do occur, it is not the most common form. In fact, psychological abuse is the most common type to occur in nursing homes. Psychological abuse, also known as emotional abuse, involves isolating residents, belittling them, giving them the silent treatment, and more. Psychological abuse is often very subtle and residents nor their family members may realize it is happening until it is too late.
For Every Reported Case of Abuse, Another 24 Cases are Undiscovered
Nursing home residents do not always report abuse because they fear retaliation from the staff member of the facility. Often, residents do not have the capacity to understand that abuse is occurring and so, they cannot report it. Sometimes, these particularly vulnerable residents are preyed upon by nursing home staff members.
Women are More Likely to Be Abused than Men
Most nursing home abuse victims, 66 percent in fact, are women. Not only are women more likely to be abused than men, but they are also more likely to suffer serious injuries.
Approximately 36 Percent of Residents Witnessed Abuse
Clearly, a fair amount of nursing home residents have witnessed abuse. Just like those who are victims of it, though, witnesses rarely feel confident enough to come forward and report the abuse. Even witnessing abuse without being a direct victim is enough to make nursing home residents fearful for their own safety.
Contact Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Tampa Today
According to the statistics, far too many nursing home residents experience or witness abuse or neglect. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer can help you understand if abuse is occurring, provide the necessary information to report it, and help your loved one obtain the full and fair compensation they deserve for their injuries. Call us today at 813-428-8504 or chat with us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
Source:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html
