Dementia is a terrible affliction of the mind, caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. The onset of the disease is sometimes subtle; the signs and symptoms can be minor at first, but the end result is always similar.
The mind, in many ways, is a muscle that must be stretched and exercised. But like a muscle, the mind loses its elasticity after a long period of time. Memories fade and simple thought processes become a chore. It is a bitter part of the aging process, one that scientists and medical experts have yet to find a cure for.
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities across America are filled with elderly people who live with dementia. They have little to no control over their actions, which is why they require constant supervision and care. Without that supervision, they can seriously injure themselves or other residents in the home.
Lynda Freeman, a native of Washington state, has recently discovered a terrible truth about the nursing home where her older sister now resides. Her sister, whose name is being kept private at this time, is a bed-bound dementia patient at the Cashmere Convalescent Center in Cashmere, Washington. According to a recent report by comonews.com, the woman was sexually abused for the first several months of this year. A heartbreaking discovery was recently made that the abuse has gone unreported by nursing home staff members.
Freeman’s sister, who cannot move or feed herself, has a severe case of dementia. Her words are nearly incoherent and she struggles to comprehend much of what her sister asks her. It recently became clear, however, that the poor woman was being sexually abused by another male dementia patient living in the facility. A report recently revealed that a housekeeper saw the man standing over Freeman’s sister with his jeans around his legs, holding onto her hand and forcing her to touch his genitals. To worsen things, Cashmere staff also allegedly witnessed the man pull another patient’s hands to his groin, but a nurse did nothing other than make “eye contact” with him to get him to stop.
So far, no lawsuits have been filed against the Cashmere nursing home for its negligent care of the dementia patients.
If your relative has been acting strangely since entering a nursing home or other assisted living facility, please contact our Boston nursing home abuse lawyer specialists, who can help you seek damages from the responsible parties. Call our law office, 24/7, at 617-787-3700.
