Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing Home Abuse – Neglect And Abuse Injuries
If you suspect a loved one has been harmed through abuse or neglect in the care of a nursing home, then please let us help.
Nursing home abuse occurs more frequently than most would like to know. Health care professionals working in nursing homes must often cope with being understaffed and/or under trained. This can lead to unintentional injury through incompetent medical care or worse, intentional physical and mental abuse from frustrated employees.
Elderly patients frequently require outside intervention to stop this abuse. In these tightly controlled environments, reaching out for help can seem impossible. Often the ability to communicate is impaired, leaving the victim unable to speak or write of problems they are suffering from. It’s up to you to be on the lookout for symptoms of abuse or neglect and just as importantly, to defend those suffering from them.
Nursing home abuse and signs of neglect to watch for and report:
- Bruises or cuts: These should occur less frequently than with most normal adults. If an elderly patient slips, falls from bed or bumps into objects, it is the facility’s responsibility to protect them.
- Bed sores: These should not occur and are entirely avoidable with proper care. Bed sores (Also called pressure ulcers) can quickly develop into serious conditions and require amputation of limbs in severe cases.
- Weight loss: Some weight loss may be normal but malnutrition is never normal or acceptable. It is surprisingly common for malnutrition to occur in nursing homes when patients cannot care for their own nutritional needs and staff do not take extra steps to provide for them.
- Over-medicated or withdrawn: Becoming withdrawn or unresponsive in the care of a nursing home may be drug related as well as emotionally related. Don’t assume it to be one or the other without some investigation. Furthermore, don’t assume that being emotionally withdrawn is normal. Look for other signs of abuse where patients cannot communicate clearly.
- Sexual abuse: This may occur more often in patients already suffering from conditions preventing them from communicating clearly with others. Don’t be too embarrassed or ashamed to start asking questions if you have any reason to suspect this may be occurring.
If you suspect someone has suffered abuse or negligent care in a nursing home, don’t wait and don’t try to fix it alone. You need experienced legal advice and an attorney who will be on your side. Call the Law Offices of Robert Davis, P.C. today at 800-529-5072 or complete the Free Case Review form on this page.