A recent study from Weill Cornell Medicine, New York found that one in five residents of nursing homes experienced either verbal or physical mistreatment from other residents. Yes, it appears that the most common abusers in nursing homes are other residents, not the staff. This post will discuss the conditions of this study and its implications for you and your family.
The study examined 2,011 residents across several nursing homes throughout New York State. The Weill Cornell Medicine study is the first study that examines resident on resident abuse. The study covered a variety of actions it classified as "mistreatment." For example, the study examined how often residents rifled through someone's room or belongings, ran over someone with a wheelchair or took food from a table or tray.
According to the researchers, one-quarter of residents suffered physical abuse while three-quarters suffered verbal abuses. The range of mistreatment went from verbal to physical or sexual violence. The researchers stress that additional study is required before hard numbers can be finalized, but it is alarming nonetheless.
Was your loved one abused or neglected while in a nursing home? If that is the case, you may want to call an experienced lawyer to review your loved one's rights. Even if your loved one was injured by a resident, rather than staff member, he or she might have a valid claim against the nursing home. The nursing home is required to keep your loved one safe from any foreseeable risk, including from other residents.