We would like to think that the people with whom we entrust their care will provide the same standard of care we gave, but, sadly, that is often not the case. In fact, nursing home abuse and neglect is becoming an epidemic in the United States, and what is taking place in these homes is despicable.
Each year in the United States, an estimated 2.1 million seniors are the victims of some form of abuse. What is even more shocking is that for every case of nursing home abuse and neglect that is reported, there may be as many as five more cases that go unreported. Research suggests that abused elders tend to die earlier than seniors who are well cared for, even in the absence of life-threatening and chronic conditions.
While physical abuse is the most prevalent type of elder abuse, senior citizens are also suffering emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Some of the more common signs of physical abuse of the elderly are:
If your elderly loved one has been neglected, you may notice: