Why are Dementia Nursing Home Patients More Vulnerable to Abuse?
Nursing home neglect and abuse is especially disturbing because it affects one of the most vulnerable populations in society. Likewise, abuse and neglect of nursing home patients suffering from dementia is also particularly disturbing. Still, it happens much more often than people think.
Nursing homes, and the staff members who work within them, have a duty to protect their residents. When they fail to do this, patients with dementia are often targeted. Below, our Tampa nursing home attorneys explains why these residents are more vulnerable.
Why are Patients with Dementia More at Risk for Abuse?
Any nursing home resident can become the victim of abuse, but staff members are more likely to target patients suffering from dementia. This is partly due to the fact that residents with dementia require much more care and have more behavioral issues than other patients. This includes sundowning, which is a pattern of increased activity that starts at dusk.
Nursing home staff members may become abusive and act in an inappropriate and unethical manner in an attempt to control the behavior of patients. For example, when a nursing home resident with dementia is prone to wandering, staff members may inappropriately use restraints on them.
Dementia also significantly impacts a nursing home resident’s cognitive function. Staff members in a facility may take advantage of this fact and abuse or neglect dementia patients because they simply do not think they will be caught. Staff members may think that a dementia patient will not be able to effectively tell anyone what happened, or they will not remember the abuse or neglect happening.
Staff members within a facility may also think that the dementia patient may not even realize what is happening, which sadly, is often true. Lastly, staff members may also think that even if a dementia patient is able to report the abuse, they will not be believed. Patients with dementia are known to sometimes become confused or paranoid, even experiencing hallucinations.
Steps to Take if Your Loved One Suffered Abuse in a Nursing Home
Any time a nursing home resident suffers from abuse, it requires strong legal action. This is particularly true when a resident with dementia is abused.
The first step to take is to report the abuse to the facility. This will put them on notice and may even lead to disciplinary action against the offending staff member that will ensure abuse does not happen to anyone else. It is also important to file a complaint with the Florida Department of Children and Families. Additionally, Florida also has a 24/7 hotline that allows people to report abuse or neglect of a vulnerable individual.
Call Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Tampa
The next step to take when you suspect nursing home abuse is to contact a Tampa nursing home abuse attorneys. At Kohn Law, our experienced attorneys can investigate the case, accurately value your claim, and help your loved one obtain the full and fair compensation they deserve. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or chat with us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
Sources:
myflfamilies.com/
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html
