What is nursing home abuse?

Nursing home abuse is a form of elderly mistreatment and can involve any physical, emotional, or financial mistreatment of a person in a nursing home. This type of mistreatment is often perpetrated by nursing home staff, but can also include family members and other residents. Physical abuse can include hitting, pushing, or any other form of physical assault. Emotional abuse can involve belittling, intimidation, threats, and verbal abuse. Financial abuse can take multiple forms and can range from taking or stealing money, to making unauthorized use of a person’s money or credit cards, to using a person’s identity for financial gain. In New Jersey, it is illegal to abuse, neglect, or exploit any residents of a nursing home. This includes both physical and emotional abuse, as well as financial exploitation. If any form of abuse is suspected, it should be reported to the proper authorities. In addition, New Jersey has a list of specific practices which are illegal in nursing homes, which includes the use of physical restraints, the practice of “patient-dumping”, and the use of physical punishment. If abuse is reported, the New Jersey Department of Health investigates the complaint and works with the facility to ensure the safety of the nursing home residents. The Department of Health also makes use of their Long-Term Care Ombudsman program to advocate for residents’ rights and investigate any concerns of abuse. Additionally, the Department of Health maintains a registry of nursing home staff who have violated laws or regulations related to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

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What is nursing home abuse?

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