Recent reports have surfaced of the alleged abuse of a disabled patient by three medical professionals at a Queens nursing home. Video footage from the nursing home shows one of the accused mercilessly dragging a disabled patient across the floor. In the background a nurse does nothing as the incident unfolds. The patient appears to be bleeding from his head and was left on the floor for more than 20 minutes after being dragged.
The incident occurred at the Peninsula Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway in Queens. Since the release of the video, three of the home’s employees, nurses Funmilol Taiwo, 34, and Eshe Agbonkpolor, 39, and health aid Emmanuael Ufot, 36, have been arrested. The defendants were arrested after they were identified in the video. Police say Ufot is seen dragging the victim back to his room after he laid on the floor bleeding with Taiwo and Agbonkpolor ignoring him for 20 minutes in the background. Sources say the victim was taken to the emergency room after suffering head and neck injuries.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman stated that “My office will not tolerate nurses who callously fail to treat or endanger injured patients under their care…Caregivers must know that we will vigorously prosecute behavior that endangers our most vulnerable citizen.” The trio now faces felony charges of endangering the welfare of a physically disabled person as well as willfully violating health laws.
Abuse of Disabled Elders a Growing Concern
Statistics from the National Center on Elder Abuse shows that adult women with disabilities who have been institutionalized reported a 33 percent prevalence of experiencing interpersonal violence versus 21 percent for adult women without disabilities who have been institutionalized. Another study revealed that of 342 adult men surveyed, 55 percent said they had experienced physical abuse after becoming disabled.
Elder abuse is one of the most under-researched problems in the US. Many elderly people who are suffering abuse are unable to tell anyone about their abuse. Sometimes they have no one to tell. Other times their disability or condition may limit their ability to communicate. Despite this, they should not have to suffer. If you suspect elder abuse, it is important that you speak for your loved one and consult the team at the Fitzgerald Law Firm. For over 40 years we have helped the victims of elder abuse seek justice for their damages. Give us a call today for more information.