Dementia care facilities around the country have seen a rise in extreme violence from residents in recent years. The story of Dan Shively and Jeffrey Dowd’s lives at Canyon Creek Memory Care Community in Billings, Montana.
Former bank president Dan Shively and car mechanic Jeffrey Dowd, were both victims of dementia. Dementia is a disease that not only causes memory loss and cognitive decline but also removes social inhibitions and increases violence. Shively was acting dangerously when he first arrived at Canyon Creek. For example, he would neglect to turn off the gas stove for no real reason. While these types of things were happening, the staff at the facility were well aware of Dowd’s actions when he was angry
One day, Shively, who is 5-foot-2 and 125 pounds, approached Dowd at dinner and accidentally set off a violent chain reaction. Dowd ended up shoving Shivley and causing Shivley to collapse, breaking his skull and suffering a catastrophic brain bleed. Despite Shively’s family’s legal attempts, the institution denied culpability, claiming that all memory care residents are unpredictable. Shively passed away five days later.
This is not an uncommon case. Around the country, aggressive altercations between patients at these facilities happen often. 15% of residents at assisted living facilities in New York reported having experienced aggressiveness from other residents in the course of a single month, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. In the same year, almost 8% of assisted living residents were physically abusive or aggressive toward others, according to a different survey.
The circumstances of these facilities allow these types of incidents to happen. A lot of memory care facilities are not only understaffed, but the staff members that are there don’t have the necessary skills needed to handle such tense circumstances. The facilities themselves may increase residents’ stress and annoyance due to their tight layouts and limited access to the outside areas.
There are a number of contributing factors to the rise of violence in these facilities, but none more significant than the staff. The more patients they get, the more money they get. This leads to many facilities accepting residents they cannot easily handle because it makes them money.
Shively and Dowd’s case should emphasize the need for change in dementia care. Many families believe that putting their loved ones in these facilities is the safest option. However, as the Shively family’s story demonstrates, this faith is frequently misplaced. The court struggle brought some attention to the problem, but it does not look like there will be significant change anytime soon.
Families who know about these stories but are forced to put their loved ones in these facilities are facing extremely harsh realities that they do not need to be living with. As the population ages and the number of dementia patients rises, stronger regulations and improved staff training are going to be essential.
D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC is committed to defending the rights of those who are affected by problems in our long-term care system. If abuse or neglect occurred in a dementia care facility for you or a loved one, our legal team can help you seek justice. Call now.
