Authorities Examine Long Island Nursing Home After Multiple Deaths
The recent death of a 71-year-old grandmother has officials looking into practices at a Long Island nursing home. Sandra Cunha died on July 20, just weeks after nine employees of the Medford Multicare Center were arraigned on charges of abuse and neglect, as well as falsifying documents related to another resident’s death in 2012. Medford Multicare denies any wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, nursing home residents are at risk of a variety of abuses to which they are especially susceptible. Due to the advanced age and existing medical conditions of most nursing home residents, such abuse and endangerment tend to go underreported. Elders living in nursing homes are at risk of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, as well as general neglect. These types of abuses can occur in a number of forms.
Physical abuse consists of:
- Use of excessive force or restraint
- Violence
- Withholding nourishment
- Any physical act that causes bodily harm or pain to the resident
While sexual abuse is less common than physical abuse, it is not unheard of and is defined as any non-consensual sexual act performed on a resident. Psychological abuse, which can cause considerable emotional suffering, can encompass anything from verbal abuse and bullying to less obvious forms of abuse, such as isolation, babying and silent treatment.
General neglect is the most common form of negligence nursing home residents are subjected to, and is defined as a failure to meet the expected standard of care to which the resident is entitled. Issues with food and hydration, personal hygiene, bodily functions, medications, living environment and safety hazards can all fall under the umbrella of general neglect.
If you have concerns about the treatment an elderly relative is receiving at a nursing home or suspect they are the victim of caregiver abuse, consult with a compassionate attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP. The firm’s lawyers have extensive experience protecting clients’ interests in nursing home cases in Long Island, Suffolk County and Nassau County.