As inspectors took note of a Veterans Affairs nursing home in Massachusettes, they noticed the same impaired veteran with dementia in a wheelchair. He remained trapped for hours as he struggled to remove his foot stuck between the footrests. However, the staff walked passed him without any assistance. Vets neglected is a common scene in VA hospitals across the country.
About Elder Physical Abuse
Unfortunately, physical abuse of an elder is more common than most people would think as well. Physical abuse is any force that causes personal injury or pain. This includes striking, hitting, beating, shoving, among other actions. Physical abuse also can mean tying down an elder with unnecessary or brutal restraints that limit movement. This can lead to muscle atrophy and further degeneration of the muscles.
An acquaintance, doctor, nurse, caregiver, family member or another individual in the life of an elderly person could be the perpetrator of abuse. According to the US National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA), most perpetrators of elder physical abuse are unemployed, single and live with the elder in his or her own home.
Vets Neglected Nationwide
As inspectors of VA hospitals across the country learned that most of these homes did not provide an adequate environment for veterans. Many heard vets moaning in pain without any functioning call system to summon caregivers. Plus, many of these facilities neglected fundamental duties like preventing and controlling infections. Two out of three VA nursing homes did not follow simple protocols like wearing sterile gowns or gloves. In fact, a home in Iowa did such a poor job cleaning resides that six contracted urinary tract infections in seven months along with three e. Coli bacteria illnesses.
Also, the water used in many nursing homes was so hot that it burned the skin for many residents. The places said the 128-degree water was intended to kill Legionella bacteria, but it was too high to be safe. This isn’t a small incident since 52 out of the 99 VA nursing homes received citations for care deficiencies that directly harmed veterans.
Last March, the Senate heard about the growing problem of nursing home abuse. The investigation began to see if vets neglected. The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing was meant to discuss the abuse and neglect found in nursing homes across the country and what can be done to protect those at risk.
Get Justice for a Loved One
If you suspect abuse or neglect, do not accept denials. Instead, contact a knowledgeable lawyer experienced with representing victims. When an abuser injures a resident at a care facility, it is not always obvious what happened and legal liability. The evidence available is often incomplete and may be self-serving for the defendant – the nursing home. This is why a free consultation with us is so important. We have been assisting the injured for 20 years. We help clients from all over the country. Our consultations are completely free. Call today.