Knowing what nursing home abuse includes is important for South Carolina victims and families to be familiar with so they can protect themselves and their loved ones. A component of keeping loved ones safe in a nursing home facility, which has been entrusted with their care, is knowing what legal resources are available to victims and their families if they have suffered harm as a result of nursing home abuse.
Nursing home abuse essentially refers to when residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities suffer physical, emotional or psychological harm because of negligent or intentional acts of a caregiver. Some examples of what nursing homes may be accountable for include if the nursing home facility provided inadequate care; if the nursing home facility was negligent in hiring and retaining employees; if the nursing home facility inadequately supervised staff; and if the nursing home facility failed to properly maintain facilities.
Examples of nursing home abuses victims may suffer include physical abuse such as hitting or pushing; mental or psychological abuse such as verbal abuse and other types of harm; neglect such as a failure to treat bed sores or adequately check on the resident; sexual abuse such as using victims for sexual purposes; and exploitation such as manipulating victims to obtain money or other favors.
It is important for families and victims of nursing home abuse and neglect to understand that help for victims of nursing home abuse to know they are not alone. And, there are options and help available.