Nursing home abuse and elder abuse are areas of medical malpractice that we take very seriously. While it is important to note that there are many excellent providers of elderly care, the number of incidents of abuse of our elderly population cannot be ignored.

Abuse can take many forms: verbal, mental, sexual, and physical. Sometimes the abuse is an action a caregiver takes against an individual, and sometimes it is a lack of action that can be construed as abusive. Neglect is defined as a lack of action on behalf of another individual. When a caregiver fails to provide necessary services and care, and the result is physical or mental harm to a patient, that patient has suffered abuse. Nursing home abuse is commonly attributed to a lack of care or neglect.

Examples of elder care abuse:
a service provider fails to provide adequate nutrition and/or hydration; personal hygiene is not performed; errors in medication dosages (too much or too little); untimely response to call lights; patients left in soiled garments or beds; use of unwarranted restraints; emotional or verbal abuse; physical abuse; lack of adequate precautions to avoid injury; sexual assault; and even theft.