Nursing Home Abuse: Worker Charged with Force Feeding Patient
Police have charged a nursing home worker with allegedly force-feeding a female resident. They say that Alemayehu Seboka Abdi put his hand on the patient’s head and forced food into her mouth. He also is accused of laughing about the incident while recounting what happened. The alleged nursing home abuse incident took place at Homeward Bound Group Home in Maple Grove.
The victim has cerebral palsy and is mentally retarded. The woman reportedly indicated by nodding her head that she did not want to eat, yet Abdi allegedly took her outside the building, pushed her head back, and forced spoonfuls of food into her mouth even though she has swallowing problems. He also did not dress the woman in warm clothing before taking her outside, exposing her to the cold weather. Another nursing home worker recorded the incident on cell phone video.
The Health Department interviewed the victim, who let them know that she was angry, upset, and scared about what happened. The CEO of the assisted living facility is calling the incident an isolated one.
While nursing home patients must eat and drink in order to stay healthy, this does not give nursing home workers the right to use physical force to them or treat them in a way that violates their rights or harms them in any way. There are safer, approved ways to make sure that a resident gets the nutrients that he or she needs.
Nursing Home Abuse
Abuse of any kind is always harmful even when employed in the guise of “helping” a patient "for their own good.” There are regulations and laws that nursing home workers must follow when taking care of residents. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse continues to be a huge problem in many assisted living facilities throughout the United States and the patients are the ones whose physical health and emotional well-being suffer.
Force Feeding Charges at Maple Grove Nursing Home, My Fox, November 19, 2009
Nursing Home Abuse, Justia
Related Web Resources:
Nursing Homes, Medicare
Our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers have years of experience helping victims of nursing home abuse and neglect obtain compensation for their injuries.
