Tag Archives: cnn

Whatever your opinion of CNN, I give them kudos for the investigative report, “Sick, Dying and Raped in America’s Nursing Homes.” This is a subject few want to discuss, but it is happening more often than one realizes. I am grateful for the network for shining a spotlight on these crimes that have often been swept under the rug.

The accounts are harrowing and sickening, but I encourage anyone who has a loved one in a nursing facility or is caring for an aging relative to read this report. Armed with knowledge of the despicable acts that have occurred at these places, you will better be able to protect your loved one from such crimes.

Don’t expect the facility management or even law enforcement to be much help. Nursing homes are reluctant to admit wrongdoing, as it can open the company up to lawsuits and cause them to lose precious Medicaid and Medicare funding. Law enforcement claims their hands are tied, as residents with dementia make unreliable witnesses. (To this latter defense, I counter, what about infants and toddlers? They can’t provide detailed accounts of abuse either, yet those cases more often result in charges and convictions.)

Be vigilant, and don’t be afraid to demand an investigation if you suspect abuse of any sort. While I am a strong caregiver advocate, I have no sympathy for those who prey upon the elderly. Yes, the pay is low and the job is grueling, but there is absolutely no excuse for abuse of any sort. Can you imagine how frightening it would be, to be bedridden, perhaps losing your mind to dementia, and then find yourself attacked in the middle of the night by a caretaker? I’m even more glad now that I quit my job so that I could visit my mother each day while she recovered in the skilled nursing facility. But not everyone can do that, nor should we have to.

We must demand better protections and more accountability for nursing home residents. As one heartbroken daughter said, the nursing home worker who raped her 83-year-old mother with dementia stole her last shred of dignity. He received an 8-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to third-degree sexual assault. While that was a longer sentence than some of the other rapists discussed in the CNN report, he had been accused of similar crimes before, but was never charged. That’s why it’s so important to fight for the protection of our loved ones, because we may be able to prevent future crimes against one of our most vulnerable populations.