Elder Abuse; Is Grandma Okay?

 


Elder abuse is an issue? I know. I asked myself the same question. Elder abuse is a massive problem that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. To help you understand how big of an issue elder abuse is, let me drop some stats. In one nursing home, 91% of staff reported that they had seen some form of neglect or improper care. Furthermore, 89% of staff reported that they had provided some inadequate form of care or neglected residents. Yeah. Those are some pretty high numbers.  These high numbers are a result of improper training, understaffing, the increased vulnerability of older adults, and systemic issues.  

Improper training can consist of many things. From a limited training period and sending staff into the workforce before they are ready, to a general lack knowledge and experience, many staff in nursing homes are undertrained. 

The average training period for a direct caregiver in a nursing home is under seven days. Travel aides may get as little as four hours of orientation to the facility they are working at. Crazy, right? The lack of experience is dangerous to both staff and residents. “Neglect occurs when individuals fail to provide care to patients. By some estimates, patients are far more likely to die from neglect than any other health care offense.” This is why elder abuse is such an important topic to discuss.  



Many people blame the issue of elder abuse on CNA's, certified nursing assistants, and they are partially correct. CNA's are the main caregivers of elderly people in nursing homes, but many cases of neglect or poor care are due to understaffing. These poor staffing ratios are stretching workers thin. The legal limit in PA for CNA to patient ratio is 1:10 on day shift, 1:11 on evening shift, and 1:15 on nights. I have been over the patient limit multiple times while working, and can admit that some of my care has been rushed. The issue of elder abuse is systemic. These illegal ratios are considered normal to most CNA's


Older adults in nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable populations. Many are there because of physical or cognitive disabilities.  Because of this, they are easier to take advantage of. Many claims of abuse can also be dissolved and blamed upon residents illnesses. Claims can be let go of alone on the basis that the resident is hallucinating. Because of this abuse is easier to get away with. 

As well as claims being dismissed, residents are unable to protect themselves. Elderly people are weaker, both mentally and physically, making them more susceptible to abuse and improper treatment. 

Some may argue that certain claims should be dismissed due to the nature of the person reporting it. However, given the high rates of elder abuse, many of these claims could be true. Others argue that elder abuse in nursing homes is due to poor administration. This is partially correct, because understaffing is an issue, but so is improper training. People who try to argue this just don't quite understand the issue.


Elderly people deserve our respect. They have lived a full life, and deserve respect and proper care in the end of their life.  

Elder abuse is a nationwide problem that is not talked about enough.  It is a systemic issue that is worsened by improper training, understaffing, and the increased vulnerability of older adults. If you think it isn’t, then I want you to picture this. Imagine your mom in a nursing home. Do you want her to be in a potentially harmful situation? I didn't think so. Hence, why elder abuse needs to be addressed.  


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Improving Working Conditions is Easier Than You Think

Image
Improving Working Conditions is Easier Than You Think How Companies can Prevent Harassment  According to Darrell Burrell , half of all women have experiences sexual harassment in the workplace. Fifty percent. That statistic of women who have experienced should be triggering a national emergency, but for corporate America, it's treated as a normal experience. Behind that number there are countless stories that never made it to HR or reported for legal action. That number is stories of employees who felt unheard, dismissed, or punished for speaking up. These people represents a failure that could've been prevented. Harassment has become normalized in so many environments. Employees become scared to report what happened because of retaliation that may occur. Some people are scared that speaking up could cause them to lose their position or be seen as dramatic. Reducing harassment in the workplace doesn't have to be complex. Improving conditions, implementing real policies, and...
Read more

LOUSY PARENTS AND LOUSY RESULTS

Image
  Let’s be real here: Do lousy parents really deserve more than one chance to be a good parent? Best for the Children In a fourth-grade classroom, you hear many “slays” and "skibidi-toilets” but what you don’t often hear is “I am depressed; I need help.” That’s what a little boy said one day during our language arts class. Between a mom who found a worthless life more important than her own son and the ghosting from protective services this boy remained stuck. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality of many children’s lives. With Child Protective Services in place, we could save children from being in this position, but with their goal of preserving families, their overload of cases, and their lack of actions, they fail our children time and time again. Firstcry It’s typical that at some point in life we’ve all had to weigh our decisions. Whether that be deciding whether you should get the Starbucks drink versus save your money or even making a pros and cons list of your crus...
Read more

Negligence of elderly people in nursing homes: Factors affecting this crisis

Image
  Behind Closed Doors: What actually goes down in the nursing homes? Grand Regency                  “BEEP BEEP BEEP… Commack Unit 2-16-16, please respond to Gurwin Assisted Living for an adult male in cardiac arrest.”  The alarm jolted us awake. In one minute, we were in the ambulance, racing toward a man whose life depended on strangers like us—because the people paid to watch over him had gone home.  When we arrived, there was no nurse, no aide, not even a whisper of care. The man was alive, barely, but alone. Forgotten.               That scene was not just a once in a blue moon incident, it was a glimpse of something bigger. Negligence of elderly people in nursing homes has increasingly become more and more common throughout the years, but why? Research shows that this phenomenon is closely linked to the workers being underpaid, overworked, and improperly trained.    ...
Read more