By Dan Noll on May 21st, 2024 in Articles, Nursing Home Abuse
Springfield Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Explain What is a Common Reason that Victims of Elder Abuse Do Not Report It in Illinois
One of the most troubling causes of preventable personal injuries is elder abuse and neglect. Nursing home abuse lawyers know that this abuse and neglect can lead to life-changing injuries that are sometimes be fatal. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one in six people who are aged 60 years or older have experienced some form of abuse during just the past year. In the United States, the official figures claim that one in ten older adults are victims of elder abuse each year. However, other statistics indicate that only one in 24 incidents of elder abuse are actually reported in the United States. This corroborates additional statistics compiled by WHO (cited above), which reveal that two out of three staff members in nursing homes and long-term care facilities reported engaging in elder abuse in the past year. Thus, there is a great disparity in what is reported versus what is occurring, as only 10%-17% of abuse cases are reported but 66% of staff report engaging in abuse. This leaves many families asking what is a common reason that victims of elder abuse do not report it in Springfield or the rest of Illinois.
Here at the Noll Law Office, the skilled and experienced nursing home abuse lawyers handle nursing home abuse, neglect, negligence, and wrongful death cases throughout Illinois – including right here in Springfield. They have helped victims and their families recover compensation for their personal injuries, medical bills, and other damages under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. This Act sets forth certain rights for residents that nursing homes and long-term care facilities must honor and comply with. If these facilities fail to uphold those standards, the Act also gives certain rights for victims to recover compensation. If you believe that your rights or that a loved one’s rights under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act have been violated, call the Noll Law Office to schedule a free case consultation by dialing (217) 414-8889.
What is Elder Abuse?
What constitutes elder abuse is broadly defined to capture a lot of different conduct that is intentionally harmful to an individual. There are many different types or classifications of elder abuse, which include the following:
- Physical abuse – direct contact causing harm such as hitting, kicking, biting, punching, and other related contact
- Emotional abuse or psychological abuse – name calling, ignoring calls for help, refusing visitation, neglect, teasing, bullying, taunting or threatening, lying to, or otherwise engaging in verbally abusive harm to a resident
- Abandonment – leaving a resident alone without assistance or care
- Sexual abuse – including everything from verbally sexually abusing a resident, to inappropriate touching, to conduct as egregious as rape
- Neglect – ignoring a resident’s needs, usually intentionally but sometimes due to understaffing
- Financial abuse – taking personal property, using credit cards or debit cards, getting put into a Last Will, or otherwise taking advantage of a resident’s finances, and
- Other types of abuse, neglect, negligence, or mistreatment that is harmful or devastating to a resident that a nursing home abuse lawyer in Springfield could help recover compensation for in Illinois for victims and their families.
What is a Common Reason that Victims of Elder Abuse Do Not Report It?
Although elder abuse is a growing problem and occurs at a concerning high rate, it is underreported for many different reasons. These reasons can not only affect a victim’s health and safety, but also make it more difficult for victims and their families to recover compensation.
Some of the most common reasons why victims do not report elder abuse include the following:
Victims are Afraid
Most instances of elder abuse occur by people that know the victim. This particularly includes staff, who are in a position of authority and power over a victim. As a result, this position of power often means that victims are afraid of their abusers. Some abusers may even threaten victims to not report their abuse or they will cause further harm. Given that many victims are in a nursing home due to their health conditions and their reliance on care from others, they may be afraid of reporting abuse based on threats that they could be kicked out of a nursing home or no longer receive any help.
Victims are Unable to Report It
Unfortunately, abusers often target residents who are unable to report their abuse. This includes individuals who are in a coma, vegetative state, or sedated. It also includes individuals who are suffering from emotional or cognitive conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, or memory disorders and are therefore unable to coherently report what happens to them. Some residents may even be unable to communicate, despite being aware of the ongoing abuse.
Victims May Not Realize the Abuse
Abusers are often master manipulators and may “groom” victims before engaging in abuse. This may include a series of polite advances, compliments, gifts, and other conduct that causes a relationship to appear natural and normal before engaging in sexual abuse. However, incidents of sexual relations between a resident and a care provider are nearly always abusive and unlawful due to the position of power that a staff member has. Thus, some victims do not report this type of abuse because they believe it was consensual when it really was not.
Victims May Not Notice the Abuse
Some forms of abuse may be difficult to detect. This includes financial abuse, which can be technical and hard for older individuals suffering from health issues to monitor. However, other forms of abuse such as abandonment and neglect may appear to be related to a facility’s limitations, but it may actually be a staff member’s intentional disregard for a resident’s needs. Sometimes this is to “punish” a resident.
Some Abuse May Be Very Hard to Report
Emotional and psychological abuse can be very difficult to report or claim, often because there is no evidence of it occurring. Sometimes it is based on just a he-said, she-said claim too. When a resident is ill or unable to articulate his or her account of what is happening, it can be particularly difficult to report this type of abuse.
Other Factors that Require a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer’s Help
There are many other reasons why nursing home abuse, neglect, and negligence are not reported. It could include the simple reason that a victim passes away from his or her injuries. It could also be due to the way the defendant controls the evidence, including incident reports, surveillance tapes, witnesses, and other critical information that could help prove the elder abuse. That’s why victims and their families who suspect any level of abuse – even if they are not sure – should contact an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer in Springfield like one of those at the Noll Law Office.
Still Not Sure What is a Common Reason that Victims of Elder Abuse Do Not Report It? Let the Noll Law Office’s Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Investigate and Handle Your Claim
Victims who suffer personal injuries in a nursing home that may constitute a form of elder abuse, neglect, or negligence should contact the Noll Law Office. Their compassionate and skilled legal team can help victims and their families recover compensation for their personal injuries, medical bills, and other damages. To schedule your free consultation with one of their experienced Springfield nursing home abuse lawyers, contact them today by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by using their website’s contact box.