Residents who live in nursing homes have protected rights by law, and deserve to be treated with the best care possible. But sadly, too many seniors who live in nursing homes suffer because of neglect, abuse, or other forms of mistreatment. There are many types of abuse that can occur in a nursing home, including abandonment, emotional abuse, financial exploitation, physical abuse, and sexual assault. As a nursing home abuse lawyer from Disparti Law Group would suggest, if you suspect that your loved one is suffering from nursing home mistreatment, now is the time to intervene.
Abandonment
Elder abandonment occurs when a caregiver doesn’t help an older person who needs assistance, and would otherwise be unable to fend for themselves. Residents in a nursing home may be abandoned by assisted living facilities. There have been cases where residents have been released with or without informing family members. Residents with conditions like dementia, among others, may not know where they are or understand what they need to do to care for themselves.
Emotional Abuse
Otherwise referred to as psychological abuse or verbal abuse, emotional abuse happens when a senior resident is threatened or someone tries to control them. Examples of emotional abuse can include insults, isolating from others, controlling activities against will, and making threats. Victims of emotional elder abuse can have long-term mental health struggles like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Financial Exploitation
When a person steals from an elderly person or uses manipulation to get money, this is considered financial exploitation. A caregiver or someone else with access to the resident’s financial information may prevent the resident from using their own bank account, steal their credit cards or valuables, misuse power of attorney, coerce the resident to change their will, or steal a resident’s financial records. Abuse of this nature can be stressful for victims, as they may lose money that is required to pay for their long-term care.
Sexual Assault
Any kind of unwanted sexual touching or interaction against an elderly person is categorized as sexual abuse. Harm of this nature can cause physical signs too, such as scratches, bruises, emotional trauma, or sexually transmitted diseases. Tragically, a senior person who is disabled or unable to give consent is particularly vulnerable to this type of horrible abuse.
Physical Abuse
Nursing home physical abuse happens when a resident sustains bodily harm from a medical professional, caregiver, nurse, or other staff member. Instances of physical abuse can include being restrained with ties or straps, kicked or punched, shoved or pushed, or any other way that physical harm can be inflicted. Signs of physical abuse may include bruises, bleeding, wounds, broken bones, and restraint marks.
Family members who suspect that their senior relative could be suffering due to one of the following forms of nursing home abuse are strongly advised to intervene immediately. Relatives who aren’t sure if mistreatment is happening can have a lawyer investigate further to uncover the truth of the matter.
