Families in Connecticut may face difficult decisions when it comes to placing their loved ones in a nursing home. Even family members who want to support people's ability to age at home may find few alternatives for relatives who develop dementia or other cognitive problems, requiring extensive supervision and safety protections as well as professional care. When people make the decision to turn to a care facility for help, they may be very afraid of neglect or abuse inside a nursing home. Well-publicized cases have also highlighted the dangers that residents may face inside facilities that are supposed to provide high levels of care.

A 91-year-old woman was taunted by staff members and aides at one Chicago-area nursing home. The woman, who has dementia, struggled with the two aides who shoved a hospital gown in her direction. The incident may never have come to light except for the fact that one of the staff members involved posted it on Snapchat with a caption saying the woman “hates gowns” along with laughing emojis. The woman's family say that the staff members knew that the elderly woman had developed a fear of hospital gowns and were deliberately engaging in elder abuse for entertainment.

After the video came to light, the two staff members involved were suspended pending an investigation. However, the two were brought back to work in six days despite being charged with disorderly conduct based on the events in the video. Family members moved the 91-year-old woman to another facility and are now suing the original home for damages.

Nursing home negligence and abuse can cause serious physical damage as well as psychological scars. People whose relatives have been mistreated in a care facility can consult with an attorney about their options to seek compensation for their pain and suffering, medical bills and other losses.