Why Disabled Residents Are At Higher Risk Of Nursing Home Abuse

Sadly, nursing home abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of their physical ability, mental capacity, or age. However, some of the most vulnerable residents of nursing homes, the disabled, are at particular risk of becoming a victim of abuse or neglect. As a disabled nursing home resident ages, they become even more vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer explains why this is.

Disabled Nursing Home Residents Require Specialized Care

For nursing home staff members, it is sometimes especially challenging to care for residents with physical or cognitive disabilities. These individuals often have many different limitations that require specialized care. It is the responsibility of nursing home staff members to care for these individuals who:

• May not be able to effectively communicate their special needs
• May sometimes become aggressive towards staff members
• Require extra help with simple tasks such as going to the washroom or bathing themselves

Disabled nursing home residents face many different challenges. Still, the staff members within a facility must know how to identify the specific needs of these residents. The facility must have a plan in place to accommodate those needs, and staff members must provide the same respect to disabled residents that they give to others.

Why are Disabled Nursing Home Residents So Susceptible to Abuse?

There are many reasons disabled nursing home residents are more vulnerable to becoming victims of abuse. Staff members may not provide a disabled resident the care they need because they may view them as childlike or helpless due to their disability.

Staff members may also assume that disabled residents cannot make choices on their own, retain any level of independence, or join in different activities. Likewise, staff members may also consider residents with a disability as being less important or not as valuable as other residents. In these cases, they may neglect the needs of a disabled resident, instead favoring other residents and making sure their needs are met.

Lastly, like many other nursing home residents, those with disabilities depend on the staff members for their care. Many times these residents do not even realize the abuse or neglect is occurring, especially if they suffer from cognitive issues. When a resident depends on a certain caregiver, or multiple staff members, they may not feel safe enough to speak out about any abuse or neglect they experience, even when they know it is happening. They may also think that if they do speak out about the abuse or neglect, they will receive even less care than they currently do.

Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Tampa Can Advise on Your Case

It is not uncommon for a disabled senior’s loved ones to suspect abuse is occurring in a nursing home before the resident does. If your family member is in a long-term care facility and you believe they have become a victim of abuse, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer at Kohn Law can help you make it right. Call us today at 813-428-8504 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation so we can discuss the possibility of filing a claim and helping your loved one claim the full compensation they deserve.