Dementia Patients Allowed to Molest, Abuse Other Patients in Bizarre Sexual Nursing Home Abuse Case
A nursing home in Cashmere, Washington faces allegations of serious sexual nursing home abuse after investigators discovered that the long-term care facility stood by and allowed some dementia patients to sexually abuse other patients.
“She can’t feed herself. She can’t move her feet,” Lynda Freeman said of her sister, one of the victims of the sexual nursing home abuse. “You are responsible for this adult. People are paying and they expect you to take good care of their family.”
The abuse allegedly began in January this year, involving a man referred to as “Resident One,” and Freeman’s sister, who remains unnamed in the sexual nursing home abuse case, and is instead referred to as “Resident Three.” Both residents lived in the dementia wing of the Cashmere Convalescent Center.
The first report was filed by a housekeeper at the nursing home, who witnessed Resident One in Resident Three’s room, forcing her to touch his genitals. Because of the severity of her dementia and physical condition, she was unable to cry for help or fight back.
According to the report, the housekeeper yelled at Resident One to stop, then reported the incident to the Director of Nursing. However, despite the seriousness of the sexual nursing home abuse, no one outside of the nursing facility was informed, including Freeman, who says that the facility called her when her sister started to lose weight, but did not inform her that emotional trauma might be the reason.
“I said, ‘you call me and tell me that she’s not eating, but you can’t tell me why she’s not eating?’ ” Freeman said.
An investigative report shows that this was not an isolated incident, and Resident One not only sexually abused Resident Three on other occasions, but abused other victims as well. He tried to get into Freeman’s sister’s room two other times before Resident Three was able to get nursing staff to understand that he was sexually abusing her.
In other incidents, Resident One victimized another dementia patient in the same manner, and a nurse did nothing other than “make eye contact” with him to get him to stop.
The Director of Nursing reportedly viewed the incidents of sexual nursing home abuse as consensual incidents between two dementia patients. She reportedly informed others that “there isn’t anything we can do until he crosses the line.”
Although Freeman protested that Resident One had already crossed the line into sexual abuse, it was not until February 2nd that police were finally informed of the sexual nursing home abuse. Another staff member followed Resident One as he walked into the dining hall and found him fondling another female resident’s breasts, so the staff member called Chelan County Sheriff’s Office – not because of the sexual abuse but because Resident One was being “unruly.”
“He’s getting more and more sexual with some of his exploits,” a caller informed the Sheriff’s Office.
The nursing home will undergo further investigation by the state for breaking sexual nursing home abuse laws and failing to report the incident. “Mandatory reporting is extremely important. It is the law,” Senator Barbara Bailey said.
The Strom Law Firm Advocates on Behalf of Victims of Sexual Nursing Home Abuse
If your loved one is in a nursing home and has suffered sexual harassment or abuse from staff, another patient, or caregiver, then they may be a victim of sexual nursing home abuse. Although a criminal investigation is important, you should also contact the South Carolina nursing home abuse attorneys at the Strom Law Firm for help. We offer a free, confidential consultation to discuss your loved one’s situation, and see how we can help you. Contact us today. 803.252.4800
