When the word despicable comes to mind, it may well encompass the rape of a 68-year-old nursing home patient. Nursing home abuse like this is outrageous.
In this particular case that Charlie Donahue heard about, a 68-year-old nursing home resident was raped by a 46-year-old woman. The charges were indecent assault and battery and two counts of rape. How on Earth did this happen, you ask? It never should have taken place. Never should have happened. Never should be repeated. It is beyond shocking.
Apparently a nursing home aide, Heather Monto (names have been changed to protect the victim), was assisting a home resident to have a shower and during the shower used her fingers and another unknown object to sexually assault the elderly woman. The woman had enough courage to report the abuse to another nurse and the facility had the integrity to call the police. Evidently, the assaults had been going on for several months. The elderly woman’s family also wanted to contact a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer to find out their rights.
Incidents like this are becoming way too common in assisted living facilities in the US. The worst thing is that the residents are often too old, frail, scared or vulnerable to be able to fight back and far too concerned for their welfare to report what is going on to others.
Any assault, molestation, rape or abuse that takes place in a nursing home facility is a crime – period. If you suspect something like this has happened to a family member, you may have solid grounds to file a nursing home negligence lawsuit. This kind of behavior on the part of nursing home staff is unacceptable and must be stopped in its tracks. You can make a difference and do something by taking your suspicions to an experienced New Hampshire personal injury lawyer.
The facts are that a nursing home or assisted living facility is duty-bound to offer their patients professional nursing care and to make sure none of those being looked after come to any harm – physical, emotional or psychological. Those who run these homes also have a duty to watch the staff and ensure things like this never happen and if they do, to handle them swiftly and expeditiously to keep residents from further harm.
When we need to place a loved one in a long-term care home, we do so because we hope they will get the care they need, and that they will be respected and treated with kindness and dignity. When this does not happen, the shock and grief are almost unbearable. If you think something bad is happening to your family member in a nursing home, then do the right thing and speak to a seasoned attorney. The cycle of abuse has to stop, and it will stop with you and your New Hampshire personal injury lawyer leading the charge.
Charlie Donahue is a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer located in Keene. Donahue handles injury cases in New Hampshire and across the United States. To learn more about New Hampshire injury attorney, Charlie Donahue, visit Donahuelawfirm.com.