New York City residents may be interested in the recent findings of the Iowa Board of Nursing Home Administrators in a case involving sexual assault in an Iowa nursing home.
The board found that the home’s top administrator was guilty of professional incompetence in the August 2011 incident. The administrator was sentenced to a $500 fine as well as 20 hours of continuing education and a requirement to report any future violations or abuse in any home that she manages.
What Happened?
The incident happened on August 21, 2011, when a girl who was visiting the home reported that she had seen a male resident fondling the breasts of a female resident in the woman’s bed.
According to the girl, the woman had objected to the fondling throughout the incident.
The woman passed away in October 2012, but her family has now sued the home for failing to protect the woman.
The Perpetrator: A Convicted Sex Offender
The man involved in the incident later admitted to the charges. He is a convicted sex offender who had previously lived in the Iowa Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders for convictions related to four incidents involving sexual acts and assaults directed at children.
Basis of The Lawsuit
The family’s lawsuit alleges that the home and the Iowa Department of Human Services failed to implement a plan to protect residents from this man and one other sex offender who was living in the home.
The man is no longer in the home and is scheduled to be recommitted to the Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders.
What to do if your loved ones are victims of elder sexual abuse
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and negligence does happen. An attorney with experience handling nursing home issues could advise a family on how best to protect their loved one and to pursue justice for any mistreatment or negligence that the loved one experiences.
In some situations, the attorney may recommend filing a suit against the home and any other responsible parties to obtain compensation for the abused resident’s injuries, emotional damage and pain and suffering.
Source: USA Today, “Nursing home chief fined in sex assault case“, Clark Kauffman, October 30, 2013
