Resident & Resident Representative-Abuse Prevention Information
As members of your loved one’s team, it is important that you understand the policies and procedures that we have implemented to protect the residents that live with us.
The basic objectives of our policy include:
- We protect our residents from abuse, neglect, exploitation, misappropriation of their property, corporal punishment, and involuntary seclusion, including freedom from physical or chemical restraints not required to treat a medical symptom.
- Our goal is to comply with and exceed the protection required by law. To this end, we employ an eight-step approach to abuse and neglect detection and prevention.
- The components of our Policy are:
Screening, Training, Prevention, Identification, Investigation, Protection, Reporting and Response, and Coordination with our Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program (QAPI).
Abuse and neglect exist in many forms and to varying degrees. These include the following:
Abuse: “the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish. Abuse also includes the deprivation by an individual, including a caretaker, of goods and services that are necessary to attain or maintain physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being. Instances of abuse of all residents, irrespective of any mental or physical condition, cause physical harm, pain, or mental anguish. It includes verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and mental abuse including abuse facilitated or enabled through the use of technology.”
Exploitation: “taking advantage of a resident for personal gain through the use of manipulation, intimidation, threats, or coercion.”
Involuntary Seclusion: “is defined as the separation of a resident from other residents or her/his room or confinement to her/his room (with or without roommates) against the resident’s will or the will of the resident’s legal representative.”
Misappropriation of Resident Property: “the deliberate misplacement, exploitation, or wrongful, temporary, or permanent use of a resident’s belongings or money without the resident’s consent.”
Mistreatment: “means inappropriate treatment or exploitation of a resident.”
Neglect: “the failure of the facility, its employees or service providers to provide goods and services to a resident that are necessary to avoid physical harm, pain, mental anguish, or emotional distress.”
Injury of Unknown Origin: “An injury that is not observed or explained by staff or the resident or is suspicious due to the extent or location of the injury, or the number of injuries over time.”
Reference: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services State Operations Manual, Appendix PP-Guidance to Surveyors for Term Care Facilities (Re. 173, 11-22-17) Advance Copy, 2022.
This is a very basic overview of our Abuse Prevention Policy and Procedure. If you wish to review the detailed policy and procedure please contact our Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Cristina Tarbox, Administrator at (570)675- 8600.
4/1/2023
Cristina Tarbox, LNHA
Cristina Tarbox, LNHA, MHA, MPS
Licensed Nursing Home Administrator
