Each year an estimated 5 million elderly Americans fall victim to abuse, neglect, or exploitation according to the Administration for Community Living. Experts believe that for each of these reported cases another 23 incidents go unreported.
A recent study conducted by the Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, revealed that resident-to-resident abuse may be a large factor in patient abuse. The study followed 2,000 residents in 10 New York state nursing home facilities and found mistreatment between residents affecting 20 percent of those surveyed. The abuse included a range of behaviors:
- Being run over by a wheelchair
- Food stolen from dinner plates
- Name calling
- Physical violence
- Sexual assault
Three quarters of the abusive instances were verbal and one quarter were physical.
Dr. Mark Lachs, the lead author of the study, said the rate of abuse between residents was surprising and that further research would be needed to create solutions. However, nursing homes can start by making simple changes to the nursing home environment, providing improved lighting, reduced noise, and safer public and private spaces for those suffering from dementia.
If your elderly loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse, call us today at (303) 796-0555 for your free consultation with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in Denver. We represent clients throughout Greenwood Village, DTC, Denver and the state of Colorado.