Nurse's Aide Arrested For Abuse

A nurse's aide at Hudson Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Albany, New York, was arrested Friday, charged with the physical and mental abuse of an elderly woman.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Sarina Francis of Troy was charged with endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person or an incompetent or physically disabled person; willful violation of health laws; and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, the Albany Times-Union reports.

According to the attorney general’s news release, on August 17, when Francis was taking the woman to her room, the woman became combative and hit Francis in the face. Francis then allegedly grabbed the woman’s wrist, twisting her arm behind her head and fracturing her wrist. Francis also allegedly hit the woman in the face with her own hand and with a pair of urine-soaked briefs, according to the Times-Union.

Preventing abuse of the elderly at the hands of their caregivers is an urgent concern as increasing numbers of families search for skilled and compassionate care for elderly family members. People with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, stroke and cardiac patients, people with mental illness or retardation, and people with limited mobility or inability to communicate are all at risk of abuse at the hands of caregivers. Elder care advocates say that many nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities are understaffed and personnel are poorly trained, creating the potential for abuse as too few staff members struggle to care for too many patients. Experts say family and friends must be alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and promptly report suspected mistreatment.