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There is a growing number of elderly in the country; thus, a lot of families need to consider facing the difficult choice of whether to place their elderly in a nursing home. No one wants their loved one to live in a nursing home; however, with today’s busy lifestyle, it becomes necessary. Most families believe that this decision will ensure that the elderly will receive the best care and treatment they need. Unfortunately, there have been cases of elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes.

Nursing home abuse and neglect can lead to serious consequences for the elderly; however, most elderly victims are too afraid to report the abuse. If someone you love is in a nursing home, you need to watch out for signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect so that you can immediately do something about it. Listed below are a few warning signs of elder abuse in nursing homes.

Common Physical Symptoms Abuse

Falls: If a loved one experiences frequent falls, it is one of the most distinct symptoms of nursing home neglect. Remember that falls can lead to long lasting injury and in worst cases, it can even lead to premature death. To this end, you should not let even minor falls go undocumented.

Bruises: You should also watch out for any bruises as well as pressure marks, cuts, scrapes, burns, or broken bone on your elderly. These physical symptoms usually manifest when an older adult is struck by the nursing home staff or if he fell.

Sudden Weight Loss: You need to understand that your loved one’s advanced age and the medications he takes may affect his appetite; thus, weight loss is inevitable. Unfortunately, sudden weight loss may be a cause for concern. Negligent and abusive nursing homes do not have the staff needed to ensure the proper nutrition and hydration of their residents. Without proper nutrition, the elderly may suddenly lose weight and suffer from diseases due to malnutrition.

Bedsores: These are usually due to poor nutrition or prolonged pressure on the body when a person lies on the bed for long periods of time. Bedsores can be painful; thus, you need to watch out for signs of bedsores on your elderly in a nursing home.

Restraints: Abusive nursing homes may use physical restrains to prevent their residents from moving. The restrains may include arm and leg restrains, cuffs, bedrails, lap pillows, or hand mitts. These nursing homes might also use heavy sedatives to make their residents more manageable.

Aside from these physical symptoms of abuse, you should also watch out for verbal and emotional abuse. These forms of abuse rarely leave any physical evidence; thus, you should be more vigilant. The most common signs of verbal abuse include:

• Cursing at the patient
• Intimidating, humiliating, demeaning, criticizing, and insulting the patient
• The patient may show behavioral symptoms, such as being angry, upset, anxious, more withdrawn, or emotional.

What Can You Do If You Suspect Elderly Abuse?

Verify Your Loved One’s Confession: If your loved one confesses the abuse, you should first verify his story. You should properly talk about the problem with him and ask the other residents if they experienced similar treatment. You should also get medical records or take photos of any bruises, injuries, or prescriptions.

Inform The Police: Once you confirm the story and have enough evidence, immediately inform the police or district attorney. In some states, if the lawyer finds that the evidence falls under criminal behavior, the state will file the proper charges against the nursing home.

File a complaint and claim damages: You should file a complaint against the nursing home through the state’s department of social services or elder protective services. If you want to claim damages, you should consult with an injury attorney to learn how to go about it.

Hire A Lawyer: You should also employ a lawyer who specializes in nursing home law, personal injury, and elder abuse.

Citations:

River Arts.”Elder”. August 2007. Online Image. Flickr. Oct 03, 2013

This guest post is written by Kris Lim. She aims to raise awareness regarding elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes. She also suggests her readers to look for a credible lawyer, such as the one found here, if they suspect that their loved one is being abused or neglected.