Restraint Abuse in Florida Nursing Homes: A Major Problem

When people go into nursing homes to live, they are giving up some of their independence; however, they aren’t giving up all of their rights and freedoms. Just because elderly people in nursing homes might rely on the staff to take care of them and help them meet their basic needs, it doesn’t give nursing home workers the right to do whatever they want to their residents, such as physically restraining them.

It’s shocking, but many nursing home workers overuse tie-downs. While there are many good people who work in nursing homes, there are also those workers who restrain residents for the following reasons:

• To keep residents passive instead so they aren’t disruptive
• For the sake of convenience so they don’t have to check on the residents as often
• To make their jobs easier
• Understaffing issues
• To physically abuse residents
• To sexually abuse residents

While some immoral workers use tie downs so they can get away with slapping, hitting, shaking, or inappropriately touching residents, other workers use restraints to make their job easier because they lack the staff necessary to care for the patients at their facility. In either event, the use of restraints as a way to abuse or neglect patients is wrong. While tying residents to their beds for the sake of convenience doesn’t sound as bad as having the intent to purposely abuse residents, overusing tie-downs is unethical and can sometimes be criminal.

If you have visited your elderly loved one and witnessed him or her being restrained, it is important that you realize it could indicate neglect or physical or sexual abuse. Additionally, it is critical that you understand the effects of restraints so you can make sure your loved one gets help for the following damages:

• Physical injuries
• Sexual trauma
• Emotional injuries
• Mental trauma

When elderly people are restrained against their will, it can affect them physically or sexually as well as emotionally and mentally. Because you need to make sure your loved one is treated for the abuse and seeks justice for the abuse he or she incurred you should talk with a nursing home abuse lawyer in South Florida. When abuse in Florida nursing homes occur, call the Law Offices of David Benenfeld at 866-9 HELP NOW or (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 for a free consultation today.