Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Nursing home abuse happens when those who are supposed to take care of them actually inflict injury or cause suffering from neglect. Intentional and unintentional harm can be viewed as nursing home elder abuse. Such abuse can cause medical emergencies, illness, trauma, and in some cases death. Tragically, you would think that nursing home facilities are one of the safest places any aging person can be. But contrarily, many nursing home caregivers admit to being the perpetrator of abuse at some point in their career. While there is never an excuse for abuse or neglect, contributing factors of why it happens point to lack of training, staff shortages, low morale, burnout or fatigue, and those who are just inherently malicious.
The term nursing home abuse probably brings to mind signs that are outwardly obvious, such as physical injury. However, abuse can entail emotional and mental elements, along with financial exploitation if a caregiver has access to the resident’s financial information. It’s important for people to understand the wide scope that nursing home abuse has, so they do not ignore signs when they are present. If you are concerned about a senior relative, now is the time to visit a legal team, similar to Disparti Law Group, to find out how you can get your senior loved one safely removed from the nursing home and hold the offending people responsible by law.
Many senior residents are afraid to tell their family members and friends about what is happening to them. Those who are being abused are afraid they won’t be believed, or that if nothing is done, they will then experience the abuse threefold. If nursing home caregivers intentionally cause harm or illness to a resident, they are engaging in physical nursing home abuse. Another form of abuse that is difficult to talk about is sexual abuse. This is considered any type of non-consensual, unwanted sexual activity that the senior person is forced to partake in or witness. If neglect is happening, then this means a resident may be left unattended for an unreasonably long time, putting their health in danger. Neglect can lead to sepsis, dehydration, and pressure ulcers, among other conditions.
Recognizing nursing home abuse, or other types of mistreatment, involves taking swift action to prevent further incidents. As a nursing home abuse lawyer offers, warning signs that your senior relative could be the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect include:
- Broken bones or fractures
- Bedsores (especially stage 4)
- Lacerations, cuts, skin tears
- Burns, bruises, or welts on skin
- Facial or dental injuries
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Falls that result in head injury
- Infections that develop into sepsis
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Anyone who is worried about their senior relative living in a nursing home must take steps necessary to ensure their protection. Seniors who have mental or physical limitations may be particularly vulnerable to mistreatment. But even those who have capacity may be too afraid to let their family members know what is happening. By keeping an eye out for signs of abuse or neglect, or a gut feeling that something is awry, listen to it and respond by visiting a lawyer and contacting the authorities.