People who go into nursing homes count on the staff members to provide the care they need. This can include everything from monitoring their vital signs and managing their medication to helping them with personal hygiene and eating.
Despite this reasonable expectation of care, there are times when nursing home residents suffer abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to take care of them. Anyone who has a loved one in a nursing home should know these signs so they can act if they suspect that their loved one is being abused.
Unexplained injuries
Unexplained injuries such as bruises, cuts or fractures can indicate physical abuse in nursing homes. These injuries might frequently be attributed to falls or accidents, but a pattern of or severe nature of such injuries should raise concerns.
Changes in behavior or mood
Sudden changes in a resident’s behavior or mood, such as withdrawal from social activities, fearfulness or depression, can signal emotional abuse. This type of abuse might not leave physical scars but can severely affect the resident’s mental health and quality of life.
Poor hygiene or unsanitary living conditions
Neglect in nursing homes comes in the form of poor personal hygiene of the residents or unsanitary living conditions. Signs include unclean living spaces, soiled bedding or clothes and neglect of basic personal hygiene that show a lack of proper care.
Rapid weight loss or malnutrition
Unexplained weight loss or signs of malnutrition may suggest that a resident is not receiving adequate nutrition. This could be due to neglect, where basic needs such as proper diet and hydration are not being met, or it could indicate more deliberate withholding of food.
Victims of nursing home abuse should seek immediate medical care. This can be costly, but they may be in a strong position seek compensation to cover those costs. This must be done quickly because of time limits built into state law.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed