Fighting Chicago Nursing Home Negligence: Elder Abuse and Self Neglect Increases Odds of Early Death, Says Study
A new study from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago reveals that elder abuse more than doubles the chances of seniors dying earlier, while self-neglect increases the chances of early death by six times. The study’s finding can be found in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s August 5, 2009 issue.
Dr. XinQi Dong, who is the study’s author, and a number of colleagues observed 9,318 Chicago seniors, all above the age of 65, that were taking part in the Chicago Health and Aging Project. They studied the seniors from 1993 to 2005. During this time period, social services received 113 reports of elder abuse and 1,544 reports of self-abuse. 4,306 participants died within seven years.
The study also found that seniors who were abused were twice as likely to die as seniors that were not abused. Dong noted that the studies findings indicate that self-neglect and abuse lead to the kind of physical deterioration that results in death. He says that usually this kind of mortality risk is associated with acute conditions, such as heart attacks. Dong emphasized the importance of preventing elder abuse and that reporting any incidents as soon as they happen can lead to medical intervention.
Dong noted that it is a misconception that only elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer’s are prone to neglect their own care.
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse endangers the victim’s physical, mental, and emotional states. Yet The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that at least 1 out of every 20 nursing home patients is abused or neglected, while acknowledging that this estimate is likely lower than what is the actual reality. 57% of nursing home workers admit to either having seen or committed nursing home abuse and neglect. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that between 1999 and 2002, nursing home neglect was a contributing factor in almost 14,000 patient deaths.
Elder Abuse Linked To Early Death, News Inferno, August 6, 2009
Elder Abuse, Neglect Make Early Death Far More Likely, US News & World Report, August 4, 2009
Related Web Resources:
National Center
on Elder Abuse
Please contact the Law Offices of Steven J, Malman & Associates, PC to speak with an experienced Chicago, Illinois elder abuse lawyer.
