Physical Therapist Sexually Abuses Two Residents

A physical therapist employed by the Gardens at Blue Ridge has been charged with sexually assaulting residents.

According to an article on Fox 43’s website, a physical therapist employed by the Gardens at Blue Ridge Nursing Home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has been accused of sexually assaulting two residents. Rene Paran has been charged with three counts of indecent assault according to the article. The article states that he was accused of touching the residents inappropriately.

Multiple Victims

The physical therapist is has been accused by two residents who unfortunately had far too many encounters with him. The article states the following:

The first patient to come forward told police that during physical therapy sessions with Paran, the therapist would always find some reason for the patient to remove his pants, the criminal complaint says. Paran would say the pants were stained or wet, the patient said, and then would remain present while the patient changed. The patient said that during one session, Paran touched his penis and commented about its size.

The therapist was hired to help people over come physical obstacles, instead this man a sexually abused nursing home residents. This is disgusting behavior.

The article further describes the therapists excuses for his behavior as a way to ease the tension in an awkward situation. The article says:

 He said their discussions were jokes designed to ease the tension of the silence during the encounter. Paran initially said he had only worked with the patient one time, but physical therapy records at the nursing home revealed that Paran had seen the patient seven times. When shown the records, Paran said he initially misunderstood the initial question.

This person who is supposed to provide support violated this person and then lied about other possible encounters that this person could have been abused in. It is absolutely inappropriate and in situations like this, the person who commits a crime needs to be held accountable, as well as the facility that employs them.

A nursing home that fails to properly screen employees, monitor and respond to possible issues, or properly supervise them, can be liable for negligence leading to resident sexual assault by nursing home staff. This may result from poor training and understaffing.  When a nursing home fails to properly supervise employees or properly train employees on how to spot sexual abuse and sexual abuse occurs, the nursing home can be liable.

The second victim reported a very similar incident. This resident is an amputee and reported that the physical therapist would find reasons for him to take his pants off, even when the resident said no.

The article states that:

The alleged abuse continued for weeks before the patient could alert a social worker, according to the criminal complaint. The patient saw Paran for sessions 14 times, according to the criminal complaint.

Used Position as a Physical Therapist to Explore Sexual Curiosity

During an interview with police, Paran stated that he was confused about his sexuality and that he touched the residents as a means of exploring such. This is such a disturbing case and if you or your loved one has fallen victim to such horrific abuse it is important to remember that the nursing home and the perpetrator must be held accountable so that the person does not continue to violate other innocent people.

If a loved one in a nursing home is sexually abused, report the assault to the police.  No matter what a nursing home administrator tells you about their own investigation, understand they work for the nursing home that hired the rapist.  They have an interest in protecting the nursing home.

According to the article, the physical therapist stated:

Paran told police it was not his intention to have the patients feel as though they were being abused or that they were victims, and that he regretted using his position as a physical therapist to explore and satisfy his sexual curiosity, according to the criminal complaint.

It is completely unbelievable that this person would make such a terrible statement. These people are HIS victims because of the sexual abuse he inflicted on them.

Criminal or Civil Charges?

Sometimes in these situations, it is very confusing as to what steps to take next. The anger and hurt can often times cloud the path for justice. As mentioned above, it is so important that you contact the police, but it is also important to hold the nursing home accountable for their role in the abuse.

A nursing home sexual assault lawyer like ours knows how to investigate these types of assaults to find the systemic nursing home mistakes that lead to these types of assaults.  Staffing levels, background check procedures, monitoring, training and enforcement of policies, following up on complaints and signs of possible abuse: these are the issues we look at to determine whether the nursing home is responsible for what happened.

If yourself or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse at a nursing home, please contact me through one of our confidential messages here. I will privately speak with you regarding the matter and assist you in investigating your case. It is imperative that you also remember that this is a crime, but that I will help you determine the fault of the nursing home and hold them accountable as well.

You can read the full article mentioned above here.