Neglect and abuse is an unfortunately common reality among U.S. nursing homes and assisted living facilities. In a majority of nursing home abuse cases, residents are typically victimized - physically, sexually, emotionally, or financially - by individuals who work at the facilities and are responsible for their health and safety. It's likely that you've heard stories of nurses, aids, and other staff members who take advantage of nursing home residents. Did you know, however, that some cases of abuse involve aggressive and even criminal acts between the residents themselves?
According to a recent study conducted by researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University, nursing home abuse committed by fellow residents is more common than most may think. After analyzing thousands of residents from 10 U.S. nursing homes, researchers found the following:
- Close to 1 in 5 nursing home residents experience negative aggression from other residents.
- Residents experience aggression from fellow residents within a four-week period of residency.
The study, which was announced in November at the Gerontological Society of America, helps raise awareness that nursing home abuse can take many forms. According to researchers, aggression among residents ranged from tampering with another's personal property to outright violence and even sexual assault. They also noted that many cases involve roommates and others in close living situations.
Researchers also viewed how nursing home staff responded to situations involving resident aggression and found that facilities with better staff to resident ratios had fewer cases. Nevertheless, experts continue to advise families to pay close attention to their loved one's emotional and physical health and be aware of the common signs of nursing home abuse.
Lessem Newstate & Tooson, LLP is passionate about protecting the rights and well-being of nursing home residents who suffer abuse at the hands of staff or fellow residents. If you have questions about your rights or the rights of a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact a Ventura personal injury attorney from our firm for a free case review.
