From the Elder Abuse Reform Now Project (the EARN Project) and the Silver Standard News!
By Mary West
Most people are familiar with the reality that neglect and
understaffing in nursing homes can result in a range of adverse health
consequences to residents, such as malnutrition, dehydration and
injuries. While it is known that intentional abuse also occurs, many are
often unaware of its breathtaking depth and scope. Tragically, the lack
of knowledge of the physical, emotional and sexual mistreatment that
sometimes happens in these facilities can put a loved one in danger.
The news accounts below show the horrific indignities and cruelties
the elderly and infirmed are subjected to in nursing homes. Case 2
through Case 6 are merely a few of the 65 incidents reported by
ProPublica
that have come to the attention of authorities since 2012. While the
stories vary, the thread they have in common is a shocking lack of
respect for human life. The 65 cases only represent incidents where the
perpetrators got caught—it is sobering to imagine how many more abuses
must go undetected.
Case 1
Minnesota’s
Star Tribune
reports on Jean Krause, a 78 year-old resident of an assisted living
facility called Heritage House who was sexually assaulted by her
caregiver, 59 year-old David DeLong. On the evening of May 8, 2016,
Krause was found in a fetal position in bed, unclothed below her waist.
DeLong stood a few feet away, breathing heavily with his underwear and
jeans at his knees. When a female staff member noticed DeLong, he began
pulling up his clothes. Later, the bloodstained clothing and mattress
pad of Krause was discovered in the facility’s washing machine. DNA
evidence proved DeLong’s guilt. No one told the family about the sexual
assault at the time.
Case 2
In 2013, a nursing assistant at Newaygo Medical Care Facility in
Freemont, Michigan was accused of taking an inappropriate photograph of
an Alzheimer’s disease resident. This picture, which involved the
resident sitting on the toilet with their private parts exposed,
included a drawing of a penis having the caption “limp dick.” After the
image was shared on Snapchat, the assistant was fired.
Case 3
A similar incident occurred in 2014 at the Prestige Post-Acute and
Rehab Center in Centralia, Washington. In this case, a nursing assistant
recorded a video of a resident sitting on the toilet and shared it with
another assistant working on the other side of the building. The
resident’s face was visible, her pants were below her knees, and she was
singing and laughing while cleaning herself. Upon learning of the
abuse, the administrators notified the police and terminated the
employee.
Case 4
Yet more horrors were reported in the
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
in 2014. A photo was taken of a resident wearing only an underwear
brief being carried over the shoulder of a male nursing assistant. Other
pictures featured residents inappropriately exposed and/or deceased.
One of the nursing aides said that such pictures and videos were
frequently sent among the nursing staff.
Case 5
Another astoundingly heartless case, involved a Snapchat video from
the Bentley Senior Living Center in Jefferson, Georgia, which appeared
in 2018 in the
Athens Banner-Herald.
The video, recorded in a hospice room, showed employees smoking a vape
pen and yelling curses at an elderly woman who lay dying of a stroke. It
was posted online and labeled, “The End.”
Case 6
In 2015, the
Chicago Tribune
provided an account of a recorded incident at Rosewood Care Center in
St. Charles, Illinois. In it, a nursing home assistant was assistant
slapping the face of a 97 year-old dementia resident with a nylon strap.
The video, posted on Snapchat, showed the resident crying, “Don’t!
Don’t!” as employees laughed. The two employees were fired.
The fear these stories cause us, that a loved one could suffer
similar abuses, is all to understandable. The idea of a precious parent
being the victim of such atrocious treatment is unbearable.
What can be done about the abuse? The Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, which has oversight over nursing homes, has requested
state health departments ensure all facilities have policies that
prohibit staff from taking demeaning pictures of residents. However,
because the nature of nursing assistants’ work involves being alone with
residents, enforcing such policies 100 percent of the time seems
impossible. State laws, requiring Nursing Homes to report abuse vary
greatly and compliance with the laws that do exist Compliance very
unreliable. Fortunately, a safer housing alternative is available.
The Co-housing Housing Alternative
In view of the drawbacks and dangers associated with living in
nursing homes, more and more people are considering an alternative –
co-housing with friends. This option is quite attractive, as it offers
benefits that include improved quality of life, cost efficiency and
greater safety. A co-housing community is similar to a college dorm of
best friends. It’s a unique environment that consists of bedrooms and a
shared space that includes a living room, library, fitness area, garden
and more. ...
Living with friends prevents the social isolation so often seen in
long-term care facilities. Because the arrangement involves engaging in
activities together, such as cooking, watching television and gardening,
the emotional and psychosocial advantages are enormous. In addition to
the companionship, co-housing also provides an ever-present network for
the exchang of information.
Moreover, the inherent support system increases the likelihood that
seniors will stay active. Having friends with whom to take regular
walks, go on outings or play scrabble helps promote engagement in life
and happiness.
Financial benefits of co-housing are substantial. Nursing homes are
very expensive, and even a retirement home with plenty of nice amenities
may not fall within the budget of many seniors. In contrast, when
friends share a home, they each contribute to the cost of rent,
utilities and food, thus making it an affordable option.
One of the biggest perks of co-housing revolves around safety. If
seniors became ill or suffer an injury while home alone, it might take
hours or even days before a family member discovers their plight and
gets help. Conversely, within the co-housing community, the members
would know to check on someone who doesn’t appear for breakfast or who
has a medical condition.
Full Article & Source:
Considering a Change of Address Rather Than a Nursing Home
See Also:
The Elder Abuse Reform Now Project
