According to the Orlando Sentinel, the number of verified cases of elder abuse in Florida rose 74% between 2011 and 2014. The statewide total of these verified cases for 2015 was 2,525. Although one study shows that the overwhelming majority of elder abuse cases happen in the home, here are some documented examples of nursing home abuse.
(http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/aging/os-elder-abuse-lillian-moses-20160527-story.html)
Deaths Following Irma and Subsequent Cover-Up
As reported by Orlando Weekly, 12 residents died in a Broward County nursing home following Hurricane Irma. The problems at the nursing home began when the air conditioning system ceased functioning during the storm. However, there were signs of a cover-up by the staff. Four of the residents died after being admitted to a hospital with body temperatures from 107 to 109.9 degrees. While they were in critical condition or worse, the nursing home staff made “late entry” notes giving them an average temperature. Thankfully, a state appeals court upheld an order shutting down the facility.
Resident Duct-taped to a Chair
Wate.com reported that two nursing home staff in Boyton Beach duct-taped a 67-year-old woman with dementia to a chair and covered her mouth after she refused to remain quiet. They were arrested and charged with elder abuse and false imprisonment.
Neglect and Failure to Release Medical Records
According to WPTV, after a 66-year-old Boca Raton man broke both his feet in a landscaping accident he checked in to a nursing home to receive the level of care he needed after undergoing surgery for the injury: physical therapy and a fresh wound dressing every day. He alleges that after he left the facility, he had to endure more surgery and medication after receiving an infection due to only having his bandage changed weekly, and had difficulty obtaining medical records from them afterward.
Denied Services and Benefits
Naples Daily News reports that Florida’s most extensive network of nursing homes withheld physical therapy from a 45-year-old man in the Jacksonville area by telling him that his benefits did not pay for the treatment, despite that being false. This case is one of a dozen in a lawsuit against the network.
Loved ones are so important and protecting them from nursing home abuse should always be our number one priority as friends and family members. To ensure that your loved one is safe, always research potential nursing homes carefully before placing loved ones in them, educate yourself on the signs of elder abuse, and watch out for emotional changes, developing preventable conditions or unexplained bruises when you visit your loved one. If you notice anything suspicious, report the issue immediately to the proper authorities and seek legal counsel.