Elder Law

Seventh Lawsuit Filed Against Abusive Nursing Home

By Levin & Perconti

WKBT News recently discussed the latest lawsuit filed following a string of abusive conduct at the Evangelical Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea nursing home. This is the 7th lawsuit filed which charged the nursing home with failure to properly monitor its employees, leading to abusive behavior by several nursing home assistants.

An investigation in May of 2008 revealed the abuse carried out against dementia and Alzheimer?s patients. One of the abusers has already been sentenced to three months in jail while another is awaiting sentencing.

The abuse was carried out unabated over the course of four to six months. It included sexual groping of the residents and repeated physical beatings. The teenage assistants also went so far as telling one particular resident that the facility was actually a prison in an attempt to confuse and torment the mentally impaired elderly victim.

Dementia and Alzheimer?s patients are often particularly susceptible to physical and sexual abuse because of their impaired mental awareness. Their vulnerability makes it vitally important that all employees working with these residents are screened to ensure they have no ill motives. It is unacceptable for a single facility to have created a culture in which several assistant felt free to commit these repeated examples of elder abuse. Administrators must ensure that employees are properly trained and closely monitored so that that no abuse or neglect occurs. Their failure to do so can have devastating effects.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on November 13, 2010 (boomark / email).