When people hear about elder abuse in nursing homes, they usually think of staff members victimizing the residents. However our San Diego elder abuse lawyers have discovered research by Cornell faculty members who suggests that a more prevalent and serious problem may be aggression and violence that occurs between the residents themselves. Although the issue has serious consequences for both the aggressor and victim, it has received little attention from researchers, and there are few proven solutions to prevent such altercations. Studies have revealed that verbal and physical aggression between residents is common and problematic, and that more research is necessary to identify risk factors and preventative measures. No matter who the perpetrator of abuse may be in a nursing home may be, our California elder abuse attorneys can offer help. If a member of your family has been hurt by the verbal or physical abuse of a nursing home physician or a fellow patient, contact the San Diego residential care facility attorneys of our firm today with the details of your case.
One study found 35 different types of physical and verbal abuse between residents at a large urban nursing home. Screaming was found to be the most common form of aggression, followed by such physical violence as pushing and punching or fighting. Also, it was found that 2.4 percent of residents reported personally experiencing physical aggression from another resident and 7.3 percent reported experiencing verbal aggression over just a two-week period. Most of those who responded to the study rated the events as moderately or extremely disruptive to daily activities.
Further, in another study, 12 nurse-observers identified 30 episodes of resident-to-resident aggression on just a single eight-hour shift, 17 of which were physical. The study also showed that the victims were more likely to be male, and have behavioral problems like wandering and be cognitively impaired. Researchers hope that, although there are currently few proven solutions to prevent such issues, these types of studies will help nursing-home staff in the future better manage aggression among patients. If a loved one in a nursing home has been injured due to the aggression of a poorly managed patient, contact a San Diego elder neglect lawyer at our firm to discuss your case.
To speak with an experienced California residential care facility lawyer, call Berman & Riedel, LLP today at (858) 350-8855. Our staff will be more than happy to provide you and your family with an initial free consultation to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about the care that an elderly loved one is receiving. To find out more information about the California elder neglect attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP, past settlements and awards, and types of cases the firm handles, visit the firm’s main website at www.preventelderabuse.com.
