Many people who care for elderly or disabled adults have to work for a living. Adult daycare centers are licensed organizations that provide care for adults during the workday, similar to daycare for children. Their main purpose is to supervise older or disabled adults while their caregivers are working. The three basic types are social interaction adult daycare centers, medical adult daycare centers, and Alzheimer’s adult daycare centers. Sadly, abuse can occur at any of them.
How Prevalent Is Abuse in Adult Daycare Centers?
Elder abuse is a serious problem in the U.S., as stated by the CDC. Approximately one in 10 adults ages 60 and older who live at home experience some type of abuse. From 2002 to 2016, 643,000 elderly people were treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal assaults, while another 19,000 died from their injuries. The problem is underestimated based on available information because it only includes nonfatal injuries treated in emergency rooms. It does not include older adults who fail to seek treatment or who are treated by other providers.
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Who Abuses Elderly People in Adult Daycare Centers?
Any person who works at an adult daycare center can abuse a senior citizen in the center’s care. Lawsuits have been filed against adult daycares for abuse committed by staff and even bus drivers. Some abuse may be unintentional, because the daycare center’s staff lack the necessary training to provide adequate care. Injury and health problems can result from negligence on the part of the staff or the organization.
What Types of Abuse Occur in Adult Daycare Centers?
Older adults can be subjected to all types of abuse in daycare centers. Elder abuse can be:
- Physical abuse: This may involve shoving, kicking, punching, slapping, pinching, burning, or anything that causes physical harm. Signs of physical abuse in an adult daycare include hair or tooth loss, burns, bruises, sprains, dislocations, or broken bones.
- Emotional abuse: Mental or emotional abuse involves yelling at, insulting, threatening, verbally harassing, or belittling an older adult. As emotional abuse does not leave any marks, it can be more difficult to identify than physical abuse. Signs may include apparent fear of a caregiver, depression or withdrawal, low self-esteem, changes in eating or sleeping patterns, avoiding eye contact, rocking back and forth, or self-neglect.
- Sexual abuse: Older adults in daycare centers can be victims of sexual abuse if they are subjected to any type of sexual contact without their consent. Warning signs of sexual abuse include bruises around the breasts or genitals, torn or stained underclothing, vaginal or anal bleeding, genital infections, venereal disease, or a report of having been assaulted or raped from the older adult.
- Financial abuse: Taking money or property from an older adult for wrongful use or with intent to defraud is financial elder abuse or exploitation. It can occur in different forms, including stealing elderly people’s valuables or using their credit cards or cash. Signs in adult daycare may include missing property or belongings, unexplained withdrawals, or checks made out to the perpetrator.
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What Types of Compensation Are Available for Adult Daycare Abuse?
Your elderly loved one may be entitled to seek compensation for damages resulting from adult daycare abuse. These may include medical expenses and pain and suffering related to physical and emotional injuries caused by abuse or neglect. Our Boston personal injury attorney can conduct an investigation, gather evidence to support your claim, negotiate skillfully on your family’s behalf, and fight for your rights in court if necessary.
Contact DiBella Law Offices, P.C. at (978) 327-5140 for skilled legal representation in adult daycare abuse matters.
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