Even as reports continue to confirm that abuse and neglect in local nursing homes is a major issue facing our elderly, the Trump administration has elected to scale back fines against nursing homes that harm or jeopardize the well-being of residents.
The fines that will be relaxed apply to Medicare sponsored nursing homes. Unsurprisingly, it was the nursing home industry that pressured the current administration into relaxing penalty protocols against negligent facilities. Common citations include failing to protect residents from avoidable accidents, neglect, mistreatment and bedsores.
The new guidelines are aimed at discouraging regulators from assessing fines in many situation, including the death of a resident. The nursing home industry has long complained that it is under far too much scrutiny and pays for too heavy a price for accidents, abuse, and neglect of residents.
Legal Action Still An Option Against Nursing Homes That Abuse
Fortunately, the Trump administration's decision to relax fines on negligent nursing homes has not curtailed your right to seek legal action on behalf of yourself or a loved one. Litigation is always an option when someone you love has been abused or neglected while under the care of a facility.
Most Common Signs and Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
Neglect
- Lack of basic exercises, including range of motion
- Open or festering wounds
- Bedsores
- Lack of regular baths and personal hygiene
- Lack of or inadequate oral and dental care
- Failure to replace diapers and clothing after an episode of incontinence
- Ignoring or isolating bedfast residents
- Transferring residents using an insufficient number of staff members
- Failing to keep residents hydrated
- Refusing to answer call for help lights and signals
- Failing to assist residents to the toilet when asked
- Being left wet or soiled with feces
Emotional abuse
- Verbal abuse, including yelling, screaming, cursing, browbeating, and insults
- Treating an elder like a child or infant
- Depriving an elder of essential services
- Humiliation
- Scapegoating or blaming
- Ignoring the elder
- Isolating an elderly person from friends and family
- Isolating an elderly person from other residents or patients
- Threats to harm or physically abuse an elder
- Punishing an elder, particularly using bizarre or inappropriate methods such confinement, isolation, tying down, terrorizing, or “gaslighting”
Sexual Abuse
- Vaginal and rectal bleeding
- Vaginal and rectal discharge
- Genital and rectal scarring
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Urinary infections or irritations
- Bruises
- Abrasions
- Lacerations
- Gractures
- General body soreness
- Fatigue
- Rope bums
Financial Abuse
- Unusual activity in a bank, savings, or investment account
- Unexplained withdrawals from financial accounts
- Checks written to a caregiver or financial professional
- Loans given to a caregiver or financial professional
- Addition of names to an elder’s bank account or ATM card
- Unpaid bills
- Changes to key financial documents, including last will and testament
- Forged signatures
- Large “gifts” to a caregiver or financial professional
- Disappearance of funds, property, assets, or valuables
- Isolation of the elder by caregiver or financial professional
- Reluctance or evasiveness by elder to talk about financial matters
