Hidden Camera Captures Abuse

According to an article on WRAL.com, a nursing home resident’s family set up a hidden camera after alleged mistreatment at his care facility. The article, by Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter, states that:

Rebecca Knapton had set up a hidden camera in her father’s room after he insisted he wasn’t receiving very good care. Richard Johnson, 68, is recovering from a stroke, and video from the camera shows he fell out of his bed early on April 10. It took more than an hour for staff to respond, and they berated him when they did.

You can see the video here.

Punishments and Fines

According to the article, the nursing home stated that the  “caregivers” in the video have been fired.

In addition to this incident, the article reports that the nursing home is at risk of losing its Medicare eligibility. The article state that the state of North Carolina has conducted an inspection and the following were the conclusions:

Not long after the state inspection, CMS said the facility must stop accepting new Medicare patients if it wasn’t in compliance by May 22. The agency also began levying civil fines of $1,210 a day, starting April 9, until the facility is brought into compliance.

CMS officials said Wednesday that the daily fines are still being assessed.

If the north Raleigh facility isn’t brought into compliance by Oct. 15, it will terminated from the Medicare program, meaning it can get no reimbursement for services for Medicare-eligible patients.

While a fee of $1,210 per day seems like a lot to everyday people, large corporations can manage to afford these fines and still be okay. They still need to be held accountable for committing crimes and not properly caring for residents. If you suspect that your loved one is not properly being cared for, or even worse abused by care givers, you have options. You can contact local and state authorities, and you can hire an experienced and knowledgeable nursing home abuse lawyer.

What are the Signs of Elder Abuse?

The signs and symptoms of elder abuse or neglect depends on the type of abuse or neglect, from unexplained bruising for physical abuse to sunken eyes for severe dehydration.  With psychological abuse, you may see a person become more withdrawn, fearful, unwilling to talk in an abuser’s presence, or even overcompensating with cheerfulness to avoid revealing the abuse.

Be on the lookout for the following signs and symptoms of abuse:

• Physical abuse or mistreatment: Bruises, pressure marks, broken bones, abrasions, burns, and other physical injuries.  Look for suspicious bruising (finger marks on arms or legs) or hair loss caused by an injury to the scalp (“traumatic alopecia”), welts, bite marks, or burns.  Some nursing home abusers will try to explain these away as simply part of ageing, such as bruising more easily, or more delicate skin.
• Emotional abuse: Unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a sudden change in alertness, or unusual depression; strained or tense relationships; frequent arguments between the caregiver and older adult.
• Financial abuse: Sudden changes in financial situations.
• Verbal or emotional abuse: Belittling, threats, or other uses of power and control by individuals.
• Neglect: unexplained weight loss, decline, bedsores, repeated UTIs, poor hygiene, being left in wet or soiled garments or linins.

Every situation is different.  Don’t be embarrassed about investigating possible abuse—asking tough questions, insisting on seeing your family member in private to talk, insisting on being there to inspect skin—or if you missed abuse until it is too late.

By knowing these signs, you can identify potential abuse and neglect and hopefully stop it before your loved one suffers from a serious injury or even worse, dies. You can comment below or use my confidential form here to get the discussion started. If it sounds like abuse, I will launch an investigation, and we will determine the nursing home’s role in your loved one’s case.

You can read the full article here.