Have you recently considered placing a loved one in a New York nursing home? Did you know that in some cases, nursing home employees have been known to use physical and chemical restraints to control residents?

So, why would physical and chemical restraints be used? The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 permits restraints to be used only to ensure the safety of the resident or other residents. However, the order must come from a doctor.

Physical restraints may include restrictive chairs, bedrails, hand mitts and wrist restraints. Chemical restraints, such as psychoactive drugs, are sometimes used to control unwanted behavior.

The problem is that these restraints are sometimes abused by nursing home employees. The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 strictly prohibits the use of physical and chemical restraints to be used for the purpose of discipline or for the convenience of the employee.

Unfortunately, when these tactics are abused, the affects felt by the vulnerable residents can be catastrophic and lead to a serious injury. No one likes to consider the possibility of a loved one being abused in a place in which they are supposed to be safe.

If you or someone you know has been abused at the hands of an employee in a New York nursing home, you should contact one of an experienced Long Island nursing home abuse attorney at our office at (800) 734-9445.

For more information, read our article, Were Physical Restraints at the New York Nursing Home Really Necessary.