Placing a loved one in a nursing home is never an easy decision. You expect the facility and staff to provide attentive care, support, and respect to your family members.
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect are serious problems impacting many residents in the United States. Knowing how to spot potential warning signs is important to protect your loved one. If you suspect mistreatment, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer right away for guidance on the next steps.
Why Does Abuse Happen in Nursing Homes?
Abuse and neglect often stem from problems within the nursing home itself. Many facilities are understaffed, with employees who are overworked and underpaid. This leads to high turnover, inexperienced workers, and gaps in training – all of which negatively impact patient care.
Some nursing homes also fail to properly screen job applicants, resulting in the hiring of individuals with histories of violence or abuse. Poor management and lack of oversight compound these issues. While never an excuse, these factors help explain how abuse and neglect occur in care facilities that are supposed to keep residents safe.
What Are Common Signs of Physical Abuse?
Frequent unexplained injuries are one of the most obvious red flags for physical nursing home abuse. Bruises, cuts, welts, burns, back injuries, and fractured bones can all be cause for concern, especially when they happen repeatedly. The injuries may appear on different body parts or in patterns that suggest intentional harm rather than accidents.
Other indicators of physical abuse include torn clothing, broken eyeglasses, and signs of restraint, such as rope marks on the wrists. The resident may seem fearful, agitated, or withdrawn, especially around certain staff members. They may offer explanations for injuries that sound implausible.
Of course, not every bruise or broken bone is proof of abuse. Elderly residents often have fragile skin and bones, making them prone to injuries even with proper care. They may also suffer from confusion or memory loss, making it hard to explain what happened.
This is why it’s vital to look at the full picture, not just one isolated incident, and get help investigating your concerns. A nursing home abuse attorney can review medical records and other evidence to determine if physical abuse may have occurred.
What Are Signs of Emotional or Verbal Abuse?
Emotional and verbal nursing home abuse can be harder to identify than physical mistreatment but is no less damaging. Insults, threats, humiliation, and intimidation from staff can make residents feel scared, depressed, and worthless. Be alert for personality changes in your loved one, such as becoming unusually anxious, withdrawn, despondent, or easily agitated.
Nervousness around a particular staff member is another red flag, as well as that employee’s demeaning or controlling attitude toward the resident. Your loved one may seem reluctant to talk openly, make eye contact, or discuss their experiences in the facility. You might also hear the verbal abuse directly during your visits.
Sometimes, the signs are more subtle. The staff may isolate the residents from friends and family, restrict their activities, or ignore their needs. They might also try to explain away the resident’s changing mood and behavior as simply “old age” or the progression of dementia.
Trust your instincts if a situation feels wrong, and contact a nursing home abuse lawyer if needed. They can advise you on documenting your concerns and taking action to stop the mistreatment.
What Are Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse in nursing homes is a disturbing but very real problem. Authorities may force residents into non-consensual sexual contact, whether through manipulation, deceit, or coercion by staff or other residents. This is especially a risk for patients with cognitive impairments that prevent them from understanding or reporting the abuse.
Potential signs of sexual abuse include bruising near the genitals or breasts, stained or torn underclothing, genital infections, and trouble sitting or walking. The resident may also exhibit emotional symptoms like withdrawal, fear, depression, or sudden, uncharacteristic interest in or aversion toward sexual topics.
If you observe indications of sexual abuse, seek medical attention for your loved one if needed. Then, contact law enforcement and a nursing home abuse lawyer to report your concerns. They can help gather evidence and take legal measures to hold the abusers accountable while protecting your family members.
How Can You Tell If Basic Needs Are Being Neglected?
Neglect happens when the nursing home and its staff fail to meet a resident’s basic needs. Malnutrition is one potential consequence of neglect. Look out for unexplained weight loss, complaints of hunger, visible wasting, and nutrient deficiencies. Dehydration is another danger sign, marked by dark urine, dry skin, chapped lips, and mental confusion.
Poor hygiene, soiled bedding and clothing, and foul body odor can indicate that staff are not properly assisting with bathing, grooming, toileting, and laundry. Untreated bedsores are another red flag that a patient is left in one position too long without adequate care. Nursing home neglect can also lead to over-sedation, incorrect medication doses, missed doctor appointments, and lack of supervision, resulting in preventable accidents and illnesses.
Noticing signs of neglect is upsetting, but unfortunately, the nursing home may deny or downplay the issue if confronted. This is why it’s wise to consult a nursing home abuse lawyer who can investigate your suspicions and advocate for your loved one’s rights. No one should suffer from the indignity and endangerment of neglect in a long-term care facility.
What Are the Indications of Financial Exploitation?
Financial abuse is another way unethical nursing home staff may take advantage of vulnerable residents. The warning signs aren’t always obvious, especially if your loved one has given the employee access to funds or accounts to help pay bills or manage their money. Unexplained withdrawals from your family member’s bank account, unpaid bills despite adequate funds, and missing cash or valuable objects can all point to financial exploitation.
The manipulative staff member may pressure the resident to modify a will, deed, or trust in their favor. New and unexplained joint accounts with the staff member, large gifts to them, and checks written as “loans” are also red flags. In some cases, the elder may mention the issue directly, telling you that money or possessions went missing after an employee visited their room.
Financial abuse can happen to any nursing home resident but is especially a risk when the elder is isolated, lonely, and cognitively impaired. Wanting to feel a connection with their caregiver, they may willingly hand over funds and assets or feel too scared and ashamed to say no.
If you suspect financial exploitation, a nursing home abuse lawyer can help figure out the next steps, such as requesting an independent accounting, filing a complaint, or pursuing a civil lawsuit.
How Can You Be Sure It’s Abuse?
Fears of nursing home abuse can make families feel paranoid and overanalyze every scratch and comment. Not every negative occurrence in a nursing home setting indeed stems from abuse. Residents may suffer accidents, illnesses, and injuries even with good care. Grumpy or abrupt staff aren’t necessarily abusive staff. Dementia can cause accusations that are upsetting but untrue. So, how can you be sure your loved one is experiencing abuse or neglect?
Consider the nature, severity, and frequency of your concerns. One isolated incident of a nurse snapping impatiently differs from that of a nurse constantly belittling and threatening the resident. A single fall resulting in minor bruising is concerning but doesn’t automatically mean abuse, while repeated suspicious injuries are a major red flag.
Also, consider your loved one’s emotional state and what else may contribute to personality changes. Are they in pain? Adjusting to a new medication? Receiving a difficult diagnosis? These factors can affect their behavior separately from abuse.
When in doubt, it’s always best to report your worries to the facility administrators, the local ombudsman program, or your state’s health department. You can also contact a nursing home abuse attorney for a more thorough, impartial investigation.
Feeling anxious or uncertain about whether mistreatment is truly occurring is natural. What matters is that you speak up and seek help to determine the truth.
What Steps Should You Take If You Suspect Abuse?
You did the right thing by learning the potential indicators of nursing home abuse and neglect. It’s important to know what actions to take if you recognize any of those warning signs in your loved one’s situation. First and foremost, if you believe your family member is in immediate danger, call 911 or local law enforcement for emergency assistance, removing them from the facility.
Otherwise, document your concerns by writing down the dates, times, and details of any incidents or injuries. Take photos of physical signs like bruises, cuts, and sores. Save copies of potentially fraudulent bills and receipts. Ask your loved one questions about their experiences, but avoid pressuring them to share more than they feel comfortable telling you.
Then, report the suspected abuse or neglect to the nursing home administrators and your local long-term care ombudsman office. Also, notify your loved one’s doctor about your concerns.
Finally, set up a consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer to explore your family member’s legal options. The lawyer can file a formal complaint, obtain medical records, interview witnesses, and pursue compensation for your loved one’s suffering and losses.
How Can a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Help Your Family?
No one should have to deal with nursing home abuse alone. An experienced nursing home abuse lawyer can protect your loved one and hold the negligent facility accountable. Your lawyer will thoroughly investigate the situation, gather evidence, and interview staff and administrators to resolve your concerns. They can also have their family members evaluated by an outside physician to document injuries and medical issues if needed.
A good nursing home abuse lawyer will clearly explain your loved one’s rights and clarify the next steps. They can assist with filing complaints with the appropriate state agencies and local authorities. If someone seriously harmed your family member, the lawyer can also pursue a nursing home abuse lawsuit to recover financial compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses.
In addition, your lawyer will be a strong advocate for your family during this difficult time. They can communicate with the nursing home on your behalf, demanding information and accountability. If the police get involved, your lawyer will represent your loved one’s interests and fight for justice. Most of all, the right nursing home abuse lawyer will treat your family with compassion and respect, making sure your voices are recognized.
How Do You Choose the Right Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
With so much at stake, it’s important to find a nursing home abuse lawyer you can trust. Start by looking for attorneys who have specific experience handling cases like yours. Check their website, read online reviews, and ask for recommendations from friends or local senior advocacy groups. Schedule consultations with a few different lawyers to gauge their knowledge, skills, and approach.
During these meetings, ask how many nursing home abuse cases the lawyer handled and the outcomes. Find out who will work on your case daily, how often you’ll receive updates, and the timeline.
Understand the lawyer’s fee structure and how they will handle expenses. Above all, choose a nursing home abuse attorney who listens to your concerns, answers your questions, and gives you confidence in their ability to fight for your loved one.
Don’t Hesitate to Contact an Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer for Assistance
Learning to spot the signs of nursing home abuse and neglect is an important way to protect the elders you care about. Physical injuries, personality changes, poor hygiene, missing funds, and falsified medical records can all point to serious problems with a resident’s care.
If you suspect mistreatment, don’t hesitate to report your concerns and contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for assistance. Together, you can help keep your loved one safe and seek justice for any harm they’ve suffered. The right legal advocate will guide you through the process every step of the way.