Nursing Home Information Center - Charleston, South Carolina

More than 1.6 million Americans reside in more than 16,000 nursing homes across this country. Reports show that 30% of the nursing home facilities have been cited for instances of abuse.

Still, even more alarming is the nursing home abuse statistics showing that the majority of all nursing home abuse instances are never even reported including severe instances of abuse ranging from death to malnutrition and dehydration, inadequate medical care, and many other serious injuries and conditions.

Many times nursing homes do not hire enough qualified staff. Having under qualified, insufficiently trained, and overworked staff can result in nursing home neglect and abuse. Unfortunately, many living in nursing homes are unable to properly communicate instances of nursing home neglect and abuse because of their physical or mental state.

What are the symptoms of different types of nursing home and elder abuse?

      Physical Abuse

• Cuts and Bruises, Broken Bones, Sprains or Fractures with no apparent explanation, some fresh, some in the process of healing
• Mood Swings, Increased Sensitivity and Defensiveness, and overall Changes in Behavior Patterns
• Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
• Evidence of Sexual Abuse, Contracted STD's and Bleeding
• Unreasonable physical restraint
• Prolonged or continual deprivation of food or water
• Giving too much medication
• Not giving needed medication
• Unexplained injuries
• Caretaker cannot adequately explain condition
• Elder reports of being slapped or mistreated
• Slapping, pushing, shaking, beating
• Forcing an older person to stay in a room

      Neglect

• Physical neglect: disregard for the necessities of daily living
• Medical neglect: lack of care for existing medical problems
• Failure to prevent dehydration, malnutrition, and bed sores
• Failure to assist in personal hygiene, or in the provision of food, clothing, or shelter
• Unsanitary and unclean conditions
• Infections
• Failure to protect from health and safety hazards
• Poor access to medical services

      Verbal and emotional abuse

• Emotionally upset or agitated
• Extremely withdrawn and non-communicative
• Unusual behavior (sucking, biting, rocking)
• Humiliating, insulting, frightening, threatening or ignoring behavior towards family and friends
• Wanting to be isolated from other people

Signs That A Resident is Malnourished:

• Do clothes fit more loosely than usual?
• Are there cracks around the mouth?
• Do lips and mouth look pale?
• Has the resident complained that his/her dentures no longer fit?
• Has the resident's hair been thinning or growing more sparse?
• Do wounds seem to take longer to heal?
• Does the resident appear confused (not as a result of a disease such as Alzheimer's)?
• Is the resident's skin breaking down?
• Do the resident's eyes look sunken?
• Does the resident appear to be losing weight?

Why is it important to look out for warning signs?

Oftentimes this abuse and neglect is part of a pattern at some facilities. It's not uncommon for relatives and loved ones to have no idea that any of this is going on. Those who are the victims of abuse and neglect can be apprehensive about coming forward, fearing increased abuse. Sometimes victims simply don't wish to burden their loved ones, and sometimes victims are physically and mentally unable to communicate how they are being treated. Regardless, there are several warning signs that should be taken into account when determining whether or not your loved one might have been subject to abuse or neglect in the care of a nursing home or long term care facility.

What are some common conditions I should be aware of?

      Sepsis

• Sepsis occurs in response to a series of events. Neglectful nursing home care can lead to sepsis, which is a body's response to infection. The occurrence of sepsis in this country is extremely high, with over 750,000 cases of sepsis reported each year. The sepsis in these reported individuals accounted for 215,000 deaths despite the sepsis treatment available.
• The cases of sepsis has almost doubled over the last several years, which is easily correlated to the increase of people that have aged and the extremely high incidence of nursing home abuse. In addition, the number of sepsis cases is only predicted to rise even more in years to come. There has been no single method of sepsis treatment to curb the death rate associated to sepsis as of yet, so it is extremely important to work on preventing instances of sepsis from ever occurring, including battling nursing home abuse and neglect.

      Bed Sores

• Bed sores are caused by unrelieved pressure. The continual pressure on a particular area of the body, usually on lower backs, hipbones, and heels, can create a sore. The severity of a bed sore can range greatly, from mild bed sores instances appearing as just minor skin reddening, to severe bed sores appearing in deep wounds exposing muscle and bone. Bed sores, if left untreated, can progress to a serious condition. Due to negligence and improper nursing home care, bed sores have resulted in serious pain and suffering for many residents.
• Families entrust nursing home facilities to care for loved ones but due to under trained, under qualified, and under staffed employees, neglect and other forms of abuse have occurred, leading to deadly results like bed sores. Bed sores can be prevented by taking proper care of residents by making sure bed ridden residents are rotated or turned over frequently enough to relieve any prolong pressure on one area. Since many elders in nursing home care have an already weakened state or various other medical conditions, the development of bed sores can cause slower recovery from other health problems as well. Make sure the nursing home facility chosen for a loved one has superior staff as to best avoid any risk of bed sores. As our population ages, more and more of our senior citizens are staying in nursing homes. Unfortunately, not all of our seniors are being given adequate care in such care facilities. Frequently substandard nursing home care results in serious injuries to people that may not have the capacity to report their problems.

      Decubitus Ulcers

• Decubitus ulcers are another name for bed sores, a condition that is caused by continual, unrelieved pressure on one spot. The decubitus ulcers are a too common occurrence in nursing homes that are understaffed, under valued, and under paid. Nursing home residents do not receive the adequate care that families think they will receive, with at least one in three nursing homes across the country cited for instances of abuse including the formation of decubitus ulcers.
• The severity of decubitus ulcers range greatly depending on the amount of pressure and amount of time the decubitus ulcers existed without receiving proper treatment. Any bodily area, especially in spots where a particularly obvious bone spot exists, can develop decubitus ulcers, commonly including hips, heels, tailbones, elbows, and other areas. There are decubitus ulcers prevention tips, including making sure nursing home residents are moved around enough to relieve any prolonged pressure from forming into decubitus ulcers.
• In order to avoid decubitis ulcers from forming it is recommended to change the resident's position at least every two hours. In instances the decubitus ulcers have formed, it is essential to the healing process to have any pressure removed from the affected areas. Decubitus ulcers are painful and uncomfortable, and in nursing home residents that often have a decreased immune level and are suffering other conditions, the addition of decubitus ulcers can cause an aggravated situation.

      Dehydration

• Dehydration occurs when elderly nursing home residents do not have the necessary fluid content in their body to perform normal and crucial bodily functions. Most body systems and organs are drastically affected by water deprivation, and dehydration can be especially harmful in the elderly.
• Causes of dehydration in nursing home residents include:
• Increased fluid losses due to illness (e.g., diarrhea, infections, fever)
• Side effects of medications (e.g., diuretics)
• Decreased fluid intake
• Decreased ability of the kidney to concentrate urine
• Decreased thirst sensation
• Residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, incontinent residents, and residents suffering from colds or the flu are at an increased risk for dehydration. Changes in functional and cognitive status (e.g., mobility and dementia) may also increase the likelihood that a nursing home resident will suffer from dehydration.
• Symptoms of dehydration include urinary tract infections, pneumonia, decubitus ulcers, and confusion and disorientation. In addition, life-threatening electrolyte imbalances can occur. Dehydration should be managed through an individualized daily plan to promote adequate hydration. Nursing homes have a responsibility to provide adequate hydration to their residents, and to provide the proper training to their employees to recognize the signs and symptoms of dehydration.

Links to other useful information

• Rates nursing homes on staffing, health inspections, and quality measures. Also lists program participation (ex. Medicare), number of beds, and type of ownership.
• Has good information about reporting nursing home abuse. Has links to abuse hotlines and also elder resources.
• Lists information about types of elder abuse and injuries and what you can do to help.

Nursing Home Abuse - From ABCNEWS.COM

A study done by the minority staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee, finds that 30 percent of nursing homes in the United States - 5,283 facilities - were cited for almost 9,000 instances of nursing home abuse over a recent two-year period, from January 1999 to January 2001.

Common problems of nursing home abuse included untreated bedsores, inadequate medical care, malnutrition, dehydration, preventable accidents, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene, the report said. Many of the nursing home abuse violations caused harm to the residents, the report said. In 1,601 cases, the nursing home abuse violations were serious enough "to cause actual harm to residents or to place the residents in immediate jeopardy of death or serious injury," it said.

"What we have found is shocking," says Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the committee's minority leader, who instructed the staff to do the study. Kelley Queale, director of communications for the California Association of Health Facilities, however, says reports such as the one released today can be misleading, since stringent nursing home regulations require reporting even the most minor of nursing home abuse incidents, such as one resident slapping another. "That inflates the figures and makes it sound a lot worse than the reality is," she says. "We believe that nursing homes are providing the best care they can in a difficult environment."

In some reported nursing home abuse cases, a member of the staff was accused of committing physical or sexual abuse. In others, staff were cited for failing to protect people from abuse by other residents. The report documents instances of residents being punched, slapped, choked or kicked by staff members or other residents, causing injuries such as fractured bones or lacerations. Some of the violations uncovered are particularly disturbing. In one nursing home abuse case, according to the report, an attendant walked into a resident's room, said "I'm tired of your ass," and hit her in the face, breaking her nose.

In another case of nursing home abuse, attendants bribed a brain-damaged patient with cigarettes to attack another resident, then watched the two fight. The report also described a case in which a male attendant molested an elderly female resident while bathing her. Instances of nursing home abuse appear to be on the rise. The percentage of nursing homes cited for nursing home abuse violations has increased every year since 1996, according to the report.

FREE CONSULTATION

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or due to the negligence of a medical care provider, contact a South Carolina accident lawyer at the Bostic Law Firm today. Our office is located in Charleston, but we represent clients from many areas, including North Charleston, Mt Pleasant, Ravenel, Hollywood, Goose Creek, Monks Corner, Summerville, Hampton County, Colleton County, Berkeley County, Dorchester County ,Beaufort, Jasper County, Columbia, Daniel Island, Sumter, Aiken, Greenville, Walterboro, Hanahan, James Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Island, Johns Island, Rantowles, Edisto, Jericho, Osborn, Wadmalaw Island, Yonges Island, Meggett, Adams Run, Walterboro, Rockville, Kiawah, Seabrook, Chester, Lincolnville, Ladson, Horry County, Spartanburg, and others. Complete a FREE Online Consultation Form or call us today.

Our personal injury team can help in a broad range of areas: wrongful death, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, on the job injuries, worker's compensation, amputations, eye injuries, electrical injuries, medical malpractice, head trauma, neck injuries, back injuries, bed sores, malnutrition, dehydration, overdose, misdiagnosis, elopement, falls, broken bone, fractures, birth injury, boat accidents, brain injuries, drug injuries, defective products, dog bites, drunk driving accidents, fire and burn injuries, motorcycle accidents, scuba diving injuries, shooting accidents, assaults, nursing home abuse and neglect, premises liability, car accidents, bus accidents, train crossing accidents, aviation accidents, spinal injuries, delayed diagnosis, surgical mistakes, nursing home neglect, and others.