Many experts rate stress as a major factor contributing to abuse and neglect in nursing homes. Nursing home employees are usually paid less than hospital employees and are expected to see more patients in a shorter period of time, both of which can create a very stressful situation. Other contributing factors can be psychological, social, or economic problems of the abuser. The bottom line is none of these factors are excuses for abuse or neglect.

quot;Statutes of limitation" govern the length of time one has to file a lawsuit or be forever barred from pursuing such claim. Under Georgia law, different statute of limitations periods apply as to personal injury cases under various circumstances. In some cases, the statute of limitations may be as short as one year, while under different circumstances, it may be eight years or more.

Nursing home abuse or neglect occurs as a result of the careless, reckless or negligent behavior of nursing home employees. According to the State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration there are more than 72,000 adults currently living in 719 nursing homes or assisted living facilities throughout the State of Florida.

Please be aware that any suspicious, sudden, or unexplained change in condition may also be related to abuse or neglect. Below is a listing of the most common circumstances that may indicate abuse or neglect has taken place:

More than 1.5 million elderly and disabled Americans reside in more than 16,000 nursing homes across this country. Despite the fact that by law, these nursing homes must take steps to attain or maintain the "highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident," too many of these residents are the victims of neglect or abuse by these facilities and/or their employees.

Perhaps due to an attempt to squeeze more profit from the bottom line, too many nursing homes simply do not hire sufficient numbers of qualified staff to appropriately care for their residents. Poorly qualified, untrained, and/or overworked staff are not capable of addressing the demanding daily needs of nursing home residents.

Given that the health and safety of the resident is at stake if nursing home abuse or neglect is suspected, the matter should be investigated immediately. If the matter cannot be resolved to your satisfaction by bringing it to the attention of the nursing home administrator and/or the director of nurses at the nursing home, you may seek the assistance of the government along with private attorneys. You may contact your state attorney general's office to report abuse.

Child abuse occur in the place where it is least expected; home, and from adults entrusted for the care of children; parents or guardians. In many cases, if the abuser is not a parent/guardian, s/he is certainly known to the child, especially in the case of sexual abuse.

Several factors have been shown to contribute to the abuse or neglect of nursing home residents, including: poorly qualified and inadequately trained staff; staff with a history of violence; inadequate numbers of staff; the isolation of residents; and, the common reluctance of residents to report abuse out of embarrassment or fear.

Today, all states have a system for reporting allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly, for investigating the allegations. An investigation will usually include interviews with the resident, his or her family members, and nursing home staff and management.

The first step in pursuing a nursing home abuse or neglect case is suspecting that one may have been the victim of abuse or neglect. Many times the nursing home victim is not capable of communicating about the abuse or neglect. Therefore, one who develops a "gut feeling" that something is wrong should consult a qualified attorney to review the matter, who often will consult with medical professionals.

There is simply no easy answer to this question. The vast majority of all cases, including nursing home abuse and neglect cases, are settled prior to trial. Some cases are settled prior to the filing of a lawsuit, while others are settled during litigation or even on the "steps of the courthouse" just before trial. A nursing home abuse and neglect case, if litigated to trial, could last a number of years.

Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections; vaginal or anal bleeding; torn, stained, or bloody underclothing

It is a failure by the caretaker to attend to the physical, medical or emotional needs of an elderly person.

There are several signs that may indicate your loved one is being abused or neglected in their nursing home. Do they appear to have low self-esteem? Are there visible signs of bed sores, bruising, weight loss (or weight gain)? Are they taking medication that wasn’t prescribed by a family physician? These are only a few indications of potential nursing home abuse and neglect. Click here to see others. top