Nursing Home Attorney
Most people decide to place their elderly relatives into nursing homes under the assumption that these facilities can provide them with better care than they can receive at home. Although many nursing homes offer their residents outstanding care, this is not always the case. These are seven common signs of nursing home neglect or abuse.
- Bedsores
These ulcers of the flesh can occur due to immobility for long periods. When a nursing home resident’s weight exerts constant pressure on one part of the body, it can result in a breakdown of the flesh that can quickly become infected.
- Weight Loss
Residents of nursing homes often require assistance eating and drinking when their conditions make feeding themselves difficult. If you notice significant weight loss that does not have a medical cause, it may be because no one is providing this assistance.
- Agitation
When people are unhappy or troubled, they become agitated. Anxiety without an apparent cause could indicate a general outlook of hopelessness and isolation that may indicate neglect.
- Soiled Sheets
Some residents have physical conditions that cause incontinence, but soiled sheets should never remain on an occupied bed. If you continually find your loved one lying on soiled sheets, this is a clear sign that the nursing home has low sanitary standards.
- Fear of Physical Contact
Emotionally healthy individuals welcome and seek physical contact that includes touching or hugging. If the person you are visiting is usually affectionate but recoils when you get close, this behavior could indicate a fear resulting from physical abuse.
- Unexplained Injuries
Nursing homes are populated by physically frail individuals who may be prone to slipping and falling, though the best facilities limit these occurrences. Frequent and unexplained bruises, lacerations, marks, or other injuries to a resident’s body may be signs of staff-inflicted abuse that should be reported to the authorities.
- Heavy Sedation
Although some medical conditions require drugs that cause drowsiness, it is not customary for residents to require constant sedation. Disreputable nursing homes may administer endless sedatives to avoid tending to their patients’ needs or to quiet individuals with dementia. Unless a person has undergone a medical procedure, sedatives can be harmful and promote cognitive deterioration.
Take Immediate Action
If you suspect that a nursing home is abusing your loved one, don’t hesitate to take action.
