A Livonia nursing home has been named as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit stemming from alleged nursing home abuse.
In May 2015, a man was admitted to the nursing home, which is about a 45-minute drive from Rochester. He was placed there to recover from surgery. During the first six months the 87-year-old man was in the facility, family members say they repeatedly complained about the treatment he received.
Over the course of two days, a hidden camera caught the disturbing abuse allegations on tape. The family members maintain that their loved one suffered the abuse — at least in part — because he is of Lebanese descent.
The hidden camera footage allegedly shows one caretaker calling the man derogatory names, telling him to “shut up” and throwing the elderly man in and out of a wheelchair.
The nursing home released a statement that corroborated the family’s statements that they had reported the abuse of their loved one. However, the statement from the nursing home said that they only learned of the treatment after the man was released from the facility.
In addition, the nursing home’s statement reported that there were several requests made for more information that was never received. The statement also said that the family did not reveal the existence of the hidden camera until several months after the man was released from the nursing home.
This is just one instance of nursing home abuse and neglect that occurs too frequently across the country. Loved ones are placed in these facilities to receive the care and comfort they need during their rehabilitation or during their final years. When abuse or neglect occurs, law enforcement should be notified. An attorney can provide valuable insight into whether compensation may be sought through a civil lawsuit.
Source: WXYZ Detroit, “Family sues Livonia nursing home over elder abuse that was caught on camera,” March 05, 2018
