The staff at a nursing home outside of New York was not smiling when they realized that they had been caught on candid camera. That is because what they were doing was against the law. They were responsible for the abuse and neglect of at least one of the nursing home’s residents, perhaps more. That video opened an extensive investigation into the suspected abuse and resulted in a 400-page report from the state.
The nursing home staff was caught after a family member became suspicious that her mother was being maltreated at the nursing home after discovering bruises on her mother. When nothing was done after reporting the bruises to facility supervisors she took action. In order to verify whether her suspicions were correct, the daughter hid a camera in her mother’s room to be able to keep an “eye” on her mother while she was not present.
What she discovered was heartbreaking to watch. She saw on the video that her mother was not being lovingly cared for, but instead was being abused and neglected by the very people who were being paid to ensure her care. With this evidence in hand, it was easy to alert authorities to the problem.
However, if a nursing home resident has been abused or neglected such proof is not typically available. This is why cases establishing that a nursing home has neglected or abused its patients can be complex and require an extensive investigation. One of the nursing assistant’s was arrested for assault and others were suspended, including the nursing home’s administrator who had been informed of the abuse.
If you suspect that a loved one has been a victim of nursing home neglect or abuse in New York, do not hesitate to seek help. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes reporting abuse to the administration is simply not enough. In this case, the center’s administrator had been alerted to the potential problem, but did not do anything to stop the abuse. There may be times when seeking counsel from an attorney to learn what your legal rights are to protect your loved ones from harm.
Source: KDFW Fox 4, “Nursing home cited, 4 suspended for alleged abuse,” Dionne Anglin, Oct. 23, 2012