Nursing home residents are some of the most vulnerable population, which makes them more susceptible to abuse or neglect. Often, abuse that occurs in nursing homes is underreported. For each incident of abuse that is reported, there is an estimated 24 additional cases undetected. Of incidents that have been reported, the data suggests high levels of institutional abuse. If a resident experiences cognitive impairments, such as dementia, that resident is even more susceptible and vulnerable to abuse. In fact, nearly 50% of older adults with cognitive impairments, like dementia, experience abuse. 

The 5 Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse:

1. Physical Abuse
2. Sexual Abuse
3. Neglect
4. Emotional or Psychological Abuse
5. Financial Exploitation 

How Do I Know if my Loved One is being Abused in a Nursing Home?

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse in nursing homes involves acts that cause bodily harm or pain to a resident, often due to neglect. Intentional harm can occur in a nursing home too.

Common signs can include unexplained bruises, broken bones, cuts, or burns. 

Tips in Identifying Physical Abuse: 

• Look for injuries in various stages of healing, such as bruises or bodily disfigurements, which could be a sign of a broken bone. 
• Pay attention to complaints of pain from your loved one. If your loved one who lives in a nursing home complains of pain, take the complaint seriously.
• Watch for signs of fear or anxiety when certain nursing home employees are present. 
• Watch for signs of fear or anxiety when other residents are present as well. Resident-on-resident abuse, particularly in memory care, does happen. 
• Be alert to frequent and numerous falls or injuries that require emergency treatment. 

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with a nursing home resident by an abuser, often through deception, manipulation, or use of force. 

Sexual abuse is often underreported in nursing homes and is one of the most harmful forms of abuse, both physically and emotionally to the sexual abuse survivor. 

Residents that suffer from memory loss issues, such as dementia, are at an especially high risk for sexual assault. 

Common signs of sexual abuse in a nursing home can include injuries or bruises to genitals, emotional distress, excessive fear, changes in mood, unexplained sexually transmitted infections, torn or bloody underwear, unexplained urinary tract infections, or complaints of pain or bleeding in the genital area. 

Tips in Identifying Sexual Abuse:

• Be alert to any complaints of pain or discomfort in the genital area.
• Notice any sudden changes in your loved one's behavior or emotional state, such as increased fear, anxiety, sleep disturbances, or withdrawal. 
• Watch for signs of fear or anxiety around specific nursing home employees. 
• Watch for signs of fear or anxiety around specific residents as well. Sexual abuse by another resident does occur. 

Wisconsin law defines "consent" as "words or overt actions by a person who is competent to give informed consent indicating a freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact." 

Residents who suffer from memory loss, like dementia, that impair their capacity to assess personal conduct are presumed incapable of consent under Wisconsin law. 

Neglect 

Nursing home residents often depend on staff to assist them with their basic needs. After all, that is why most individuals require admission into a nursing home facility in the first place.

Many residents depend on staff for essential needs such as assistance with daily activities, including bathing, dressing, eating, medication management, and even mobility getting in and out of bed or around the facility. 

Proper care and attention are critical to ensure their well-being, safety, and dignity. Neglect in a nursing home is when the nursing home fails to properly care for a resident. Some of the most common signs of neglect are dehydration, malnutrition, broken bones, and bedsores. 

Tips in Identifying Neglect:

• Check for poor hygiene, such as signs of irregular bathing, grooming, and dirty clothes. 
• Monitor for sudden weight loss or dehydration, such as dry mouth, dark-colored urine, or infrequent urination.
• Be alert for unexplained injuries, such as frequent falls, bruises, or bedsores that may indicate inadequate supervision or improper care.
• Inspect living conditions, like dirty bedding, foul odors, or unclean common areas. 

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Emotional and psychological abuse in nursing homes can occur when staff use threats, humiliation, isolation, or intimidation to control or mistreat residents. 

This type of abuse can be harder to detect than physical abuse or neglect but can have devastating effects on a resident's mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, or withdrawal. 

Tips in Identifying Emotional or Psychological Abuse:

• Be aware if a resident becomes unusually anxious, depressed, or withdrawn without a clear reason.
• Notice if a resident seems scared to talk openly, changes their story, or hesitates when speaking around certain staff. 
• Pay attention to how staff treat residents, such as using harsh language, stern tones, belittling, or ignoring the resident. 
• Look for signs of social isolation, such as a resident being prevented from participating in activities or discouraged from speaking with family and friends. 

Financial Exploitation

Financial abuse costs elderly individuals over $28 Billion in losses each year. Financial exploitation in nursing homes can occur through manipulation or direct theft.

This abuse can take many forms, including unauthorized withdrawals, forged signatures, or coercing a resident into changing legal documents, like amending their will or changing their designated power of attorney. 

Tips in Identifying Financial Exploitation:

• Look for unexplained withdrawals or loans, unusual purchases, or sudden changes in spending habits. 
• Be cautious if a resident unexpectedly alters their will, power of attorney, beneficiary designations, life insurance policies, or credit cards. 
• Be alert if a resident expresses confusion about missing funds.
• Notice if a resident is giving excessive "gifts" to caregivers. 

What Do I Do If my Loved One is being Abused in a Nursing Home?

• If you suspect your loved one is in immediate danger, call 911. 
• Report the abuse to the nursing home administrator and nursing home management. 
• Call the Wisconsin Elder Abuse Hotline. 
• File a Complaint with your state's nursing home licensing and certification agency. In Wisconsin, that agency is the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA). 
• Call Adult Protective Services to make a report. 
• File a Complaint with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. 

Wisconsin Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If you suspect your loved one has been abused or neglected in a Wisconsin nursing home, it is important to contact an experienced Wisconsin nursing home attorney to hold the nursing home accountable and discuss your options with a lawyer who knows what it takes to pursue cases against Wisconsin nursing homes.