There are many ways in which nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse are similar. Both can certainly do significant harm to a resident in a nursing home.
But it is also important to consider the differences. Nursing home abuse often includes issues like:
- Physical abuse
- Financial abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
These are things that are being done intentionally. For instance, family members may see unexplained injuries, such as bruises or cuts. If it turns out that a care worker intentionally struck the resident, causing these injuries, it is an example of physical abuse. That worker was attempting to cause harm to the resident and did so on purpose.
Neglect can also lead to injuries
Of course, something like a bruise could also be an indicator of neglect. Perhaps the elderly person suffered the injury in a fall accident while in the nursing home.
With neglect, care workers are not intentionally trying to cause harm, but they are simply not providing the necessary care so that the resident avoids that harm. An example of this could be if a care worker neglects to make rounds and check on residents properly, or if they do not help them with tasks where assistance is needed. Perhaps a loved one needed help taking a shower or just walking down the hall, but the care workers were negligent and forced them to attempt to do so on their own. This led to the fall, which in turn caused the bruising.
Taking legal action
Whether you believe nursing home abuse or neglect are occurring, it is important for you to understand all of the legal options you have and the steps you can take to keep your loved ones safe.