Though nursing homes are meant to be a safe place for your loved one, there is always a chance that unwanted abuse can occur. Whether it be physical, sexual, financial, or emotional abuse, it’s important to take any allegations seriously and report them in a timely manner.
These examples of nursing home abuse are intended to help you spot abuse and help the people you love stay safe while in a care facility.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse Allegations
Woman loses eyesight as a result of physical abuse in nursing home
In May of 2021, the family of Anne Fiorito was awarded $2.5 million for injuries caused by the Vitas Healthcare Corporation of Florida.
Fiorito was living in the Cypress Village Retirement Community in Jacksonville, Florida when she suffered an eye injury in 2017. According to doctors, the injury was caused by a direct blow to the eye that resulted in multiple hemorrhages in her eye as well as a detached retina. The injuries left Fiorito blind in that eye until her death in 2018.
Nursing home neglect leads to wrongful death
Regina Tallent was living at the Superior Care Home facility in Paducah, Kentucky when she choked to death seven months after her admission to the facility. Her children alleged that she was supposed to be on a soft diet due to health issues including Parkinson’s and macular degeneration. Despite the facility’s knowledge of Tallent’s needs, they neglected to provide her with the proper diet, resulting in her death.
A jury awarded Tallent’s estate a total of $5 million after determining the nursing home violated its duty to provide care.
Nursing home fined for sexual assault claims
Police investigated a sexual assault claim at New Athens Home of the Aged in New Athens, Illinois. An employee of the nursing home allegedly assaulted a resident suffering from a traumatic brain injury in December of 2020.
The employee was charged with felony aggravated criminal sexual assault of a victim who was 60+ years of age. In addition to the police investigation, the health department conducted its own investigation and cited the facility for failure to report the incident until almost a week after its occurrence. The nursing home was fined more than $200,000.
Nursing home official sentenced in connection with financial abuse of residents
Bridget Briand, the former business manager of Penacook Place Nursing Home in Haverhill, Massachusetts, recently pleaded guilty in connection with the theft of tens of thousands of dollars from nursing home residents. According to the attorney general’s office, Briand stole thousands of dollars from an elderly resident by writing herself checks from person’s bank account. Additionally, she added false entries into the facility’s accounting system and corporate books to misappropriate the funds of other residents into the resident’s account she was stealing from.
Briand has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and has been ordered to pay roughly $20,000 in restitution to her victims.
How to Report Nursing Home Abuse
If you or someone you love believes they may be the victim of nursing home abuse, waste no time in acting–report the incident immediately. Depending on the type of abuse you can report allegations to:
Law Enforcement
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, you should contact local law enforcement to assist you. Police can launch an investigation into elder abuse and may do so alongside other state agencies.
Your State’s Health Department
CMS has compiled a list of contact information by state for filing an abuse complaint with state survey agencies. Typically, the agency will launch an investigation into your complaint and send you a written summary of the investigation.
A Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Ombudsmen are advocates for nursing home residents and their families who are trained to resolve problems and assist you or your family member with complaints.
A Trusted Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
A lawyer can help you pursue financial compensation for injuries you have suffered as a result of nursing home abuse. For years, Jehl Law Group has helped victims and families of nursing home abuse shed light on their traumas and secure justice. If you believe your loved one has been mistreated at a nursing home or long-term care facility, help is a phone call away.