Police are investigating the Westminster Health and Rehabilitation Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina after a 91-year-old female nursing home resident said her caregiver was physically and verbally abusing her. Police say that the caregiver, who no longer works at the facility, grabbed the woman’s arm so hard that she needed stitches.
WBTV says that the alleged victim’s son approached Westminster officials after his mother said she was scared of her caregiver. According to police, the son placed an audio recorder in his mother’s room. Police reports say that the caregiver was on her phone having a heated conversation and also yelled at the resident, ordering her to get up. Later on, the report also says that the caretaker pulled the women out of bed so hard that her skin tore.
The name of the alleged abuser is being withheld pending investigation. In addition to the police, the State Department of Health and Environmental Control is also investigating the alleged abuse, Westminster officials said to WBTV.
Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect happens all too frequently in the United States. Unfortunately, there are many cases where residents are injured because staff is negligent or out rightly abusive. The issue is often worsened by the fact that residents are a vulnerable population. Sometimes, they are not able to communicate what is happening to them. For this reason, it is important for families and friends of nursing home residents to be on the lookout for common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect, which include:
- Bedsores
- Weight loss
- Falling
- Unexplained injuries and bruises
- Inattentive staff
