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 amount of incidents of abuse in our elderly population can not be ignored.

Abuse can take many forms: verbal, mental, sexual, and physical. This type of treatment or abuse of another individual is illegal. 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 the patient, this is 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 hydration; personal hygiene is not performed; errors in medication dosages (too much or too little); timely 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.