Lebanese Family Sues U.S. Nursing Home over Abuse Caught on Video
The family of an elderly Lebanese man is suing a Michigan nursing home, alleging a hidden camera captured footage of the abuse and some caretakers directed ethnic slurs toward the man.
Hussein Younes, 89, was seeking care at Autumnwood of Livonia in 2015 after a bowel obstruction surgery. His son, Salim Younes, grew concerned after noticing his father had several bruises, cuts and significant weight loss.
"They blamed his injuries on him falling 11 times over a five-month period," said Jonathan Marko, the family's lawyer.
Salim Younes hid a camera in an alarm clock next to his father's bed. The family gathered more than 100 clips documenting neglectful behavior over two days, Marko said.
The family removed Hussein Younes from the facility in December 2015.
The lawsuit alleges caretakers physically abused and hurled ethnic slurs at Younes. The complaint also alleges Younes was denied water, had his call button taken from him and had his legs run into a wall while in a wheelchair.
The actions may have been racially motivated, Marko said.
"He's an elderly Lebanese gentleman who was born and grew up in Lebanon," Marko said. "He's an Arab-American, and because of that, he was targeted as this nursing home and horribly abused."
The company conducted an internal investigation and reported the allegations to several government agencies after learning of the complaints in December 2015, but wasn't able to substantiate the allegations at the time, said the company's attorneys. Autumnwood wasn't made aware of the video until May 2016.
"The actions depicted in the video are in no way illustrative of the quality care that is provided by the caring staff at Autumnwood on a daily basis," the company said in a statement.
The employees in the video have been fired and other employees are receiving additional training, according to attorneys for Autumnwood.
The civil trial begins in June.
07 March 2018, 14:16
82
This is why people should not migrate and leave their home countries.
They only get treated like sand niggers in the U.S and other western nations.
Stay in your own country.
07 March 2018, 18:09
50
As if I ruined your livelihood you cry baby.
If you found fortune in the West, that is your own problem, just remember that you will never be accepted as one of them, and you will always be treated as an immigrant scum.
Which is why it's better to stay in the country of origin.
Nobody likes immigrants and refugees anyway, so why become one?
07 March 2018, 18:24
50
I would rather smell bags of garbage in Lebanon and earn little money, than to be treated like an actual garbage in a foreign country being an immigrant.
07 March 2018, 18:18
16
The new generation doesn't want to live with it's parents or parents in law. That is a fact. They'd rather pay someone to care for them, and frankly, those who actually go to such places decide to do it themselves because they don't want to be a burden for their children. This happens in the West, but also in oriental China and of course in Lebanon as reported by SOS.
It's called evolution, if you don't want to evolve with the society, you become a marginal. But I guess you already are marginal, given your lifestyle...theft, militias, terrorism, abductions....
07 March 2018, 18:23
60
That is not good and loving children that puts their parents in an asylum for elderly, getting treated like immigrant scum.
In Lebanese tradition, the parents stay at home with childrens families until they die.
That people travel to the West and assimilate themselves is a foolish move, and see what it gets you.
07 March 2018, 18:26
60
What parent should be a burden? They took care of their children since they were young, only to be forsaken and left behind when they grow old, by their own children.
07 March 2018, 18:55
50
"What parent should be a burden? They took care of their children since they were young, only to be forsaken and left behind when they grow old, by their own children."
I agree with Mystic on this one. People who disagree have been affected by the secular wests values which only proove how when you imitate other nations you automatically take their evil habits and values as well. If the desire is there then people will find a way to take care of their parents. Usually there are several children and only two (sometimes one) parents. Cooperate in time and expenses and do your job to the best of your ability as long as the situation allows it. Especially if you are a Muslim. That is our duty and the least we can do for our parents. They deserve much more.
In this case though, it seem the elderly man needed medical help? In which case i can't judge the children.
08 March 2018, 11:42
10
You are the cupcakes here that believes you can remove hezbollah through Naharnet, big mouth internet warriors.
