Nursing home abuse occurs when the caretakers harm or abuse their residents. There are over 15,000 nursing homes across the United States, and nursing home abuse is horrifying. Extreme cases of nursing home abuse can result in trauma, the need for medical care, or even death. If you or someone you love has been a victim of nursing home abuse, speak to an attorney at King Law immediately.
What is nursing home abuse?
Any intentional or negligent action by a caretaker that ends up causing harm to a vulnerable adult can be called elder abuse. According to some studies, elderly people are twice as likely to die prematurely if they have been a victim of elder abuse than those who have not experienced elder abuse.
What are the different types of nursing home abuse?
There can be many different types of elder abuse in nursing homes, such as:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Financial exploitation
What are the signs that someone may be abusing your loved ones?
You can look for signs to figure out if your elderly loved ones are being abused in their nursing homes. Some of the signs that can indicate nursing home abuse are:
- Bruises
- Burns
- Fractures or broken bones
- Abrasions
- Scrapes
- Cuts
- Tears around their genital areas
- Unexplained STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)
- Unexplained or unusual changes in their financial accounts
- Unexplained and significant changes to their will
- Financial documents containing fraudulent signatures
- Unpaid bills
- Poor hygiene
- Unexplained weight loss
- Withdrawal from activities, especially the activities they used to love
- Unusual changes to their behavior or sleep patterns
- Excessive fear or anxiety
- Untreated bedsores
- Sudden onset of depression
- Lack of medical aid, such as dentures, glasses, or hearing aids
How can nursing home abuse be prevented?
The thought that your elderly loved ones may be getting abused in their nursing homes is terrifying, but some steps can be taken to prevent this. The first step is to know the signs, without which you may not even be able to realize when something is wrong. If you suspect your loved ones are victims of nursing home abuse, you should raise your concerns with the staff and authorities. Being proactive in investigating and reporting signs of abuse to the authorities on time can help save your loved one’s life.
What can you do in case of nursing home abuse?
If your elderly loved ones are abused in their nursing homes, you should not let them suffer in silence. Seek the help of an experienced personal injury attorney today and determine what steps can be taken next.
