The son of a deceased woman in another state said it is too soon for him and his loved ones to be able to forgive a nursing home aid who was convicted of abusing his mother. Nursing home negligence is problematic in Wyoming and many other states. In this particular instance, the woman’s son suspected that his mother was being abused, so he set up a hidden camera in her room.
Film footage showed a worker rough-handling the 78-year-old woman, even shoving her and pushing her face into the bed. That was more than seven years ago. The surveillance film led to a nursing home employee pleading guilty to abuse. She served seven and a half years of a 10-year sentence.
The former worker was recently released from jail. She has been ordered by the court to enter rehabilitation and is prohibited from having any contact at all with senior citizens. Many elder advocates say that nursing homes should install surveillance cameras in all patient rooms; however, some people say they believe that hidden cameras pose privacy invasion problems.
Those in Wyoming who are concerned about the well-being of loved ones residing in nursing homes may want to conduct thorough investigations to determine if there is evidence of nursing home negligence. It is also a good idea to speak with an attorney well-versed in elder law and personal injury litigation. An attorney knows exactly what type of evidence would be needed to prove that negligence occurred and directly caused injury to an elder.