Dec 27, 2013 in News Long-term Care

Long-term Care: 11 per cent of Ontario's nursing home residents are considered aggressive

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As Ontario's baby boomers age, many families turn towards nursing homes as an option to help them take care of an elderly parent.

While nursing homes strive to improve, unfortunately industry experts and political critics say that many homes aren't able to appropriately handle aggressive residents and protect their current occupants.

Research conducted by the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors shows that 11 per cent (8,400) of 78,000 residents within Ontario's long-term homes were considered to be aggressive. The research looked at whether residents are physically and verbally abusive, physically resistant, require restraints or exhibit inappropriate or disruptive behaviour.

And the number of violent residents will likely only increase with homes taking on more complex residents, OANHSS CEO Donna Rubin told the Toronto Star.

Aggression in nursing homes has become a recognized issue due to a few unfortunate incidents. Recently, an elderly man was charged with murder for the death of his 87-year-old roommate at Castleview Wychwood Towers, a long-term care facility in Toronto. Police said mental illness might have been a factor, but the investigation was ongoing.

Another incident took place earlier this year when an elderly man was charged with second degree murder and aggravated assault after he allegedly attacked two females with his cane at Wexford Residence, a long-term care facility in Scarborough. One female passed away and the other was admitted to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The resident had a history of acting out, staff and residents told the Toronto Star. A recent Ministry of Health inspection report shows that there were also seven more incidents of abuse between residents of the care facility three months after the March attack.

With nursing homes understaffed, especially during overnight shifts, antipsychotic drugs could be used to handle patients acting out, says Rubin. But it turns out that one third of seniors in long-term care homes have been prescribed these drugs when they haven't been diagnosed with psychosis, according to research by Canadian Institute for Health Information.

An investigation done by CTV's W5 shows that on average, there are five murders a year in care facilities.

Abuse in a nursing home is a serious issue and if you suspect that a loved one may be a victim, you can file a negligence claim. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been handling all types of injuries for over 40 years including injuries from negligent medical workers. We understand the impacts injuries can have on your life and we know how to help you. Call us at 416-920-4242. Set up a free consultation and come talk with us.