If you have an elderly loved one in a nursing home, then you know just how emotional and difficult the decision to place them was. Not only is it difficult for you, but it can also be difficult for your loved one. It is difficult to give up independence anatomically, but it’s also never an easy task to trust strangers to provide the necessary care for your elderly loved one.
Sadly, nursing homes and their staff sometimes betray the trust placed in them, causing injury, pain, and loss of dignity with those placed in their care. Abuse, neglect, negligence, and indifference can cause serious and lasting damage to seniors. According to our friends at Norris Law, nursing home abuse is more common than you might think.
How Common Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect occur much too often. The population is living longer and longer and the needs of the elderly, many of whom are vulnerable people, suffer serious harm because of neglect or abuse in a senior care facility. It has been found that at least 25% of long-term care facilities have received serious citations for deficiencies. The present also is likely much higher than this, as nursing home abuse often goes unnoticed until it is too late.
Nursing Home Injuries Caused by Abuse or Neglect
About 10% of all elderly that are placed in nursing homes suffer injuries caused by abuse or neglect. While there are many reasons that this can happen, none of them justify placing elderly people in harm’s way. While it is not always easy for family members to recognize the signs of abuse and injuries associated with abuse or neglect, they can include:
- Bedsores from failure to move the senior or simply allowing them to spend hours and hours laying in bed or sitting in a wheelchair without repositioning
- Medication errors or deliberate overmedication
- Signs of restraint such as marks on the wrists or ankles
- Signs of physical abuse, which include bruising or cuts
- Malnutrition from lack of proper food
- Dehydration from lack of water or other liquids
- Frequent infections
- Signs of sexual abuse
- Emotional withdrawal by the senior
- Agitation, withdrawn, or suddenly becoming non-communicative
- Being upset easily
- Unusual weight loss
- The presence of dirty bedding or clothing
- Frequent falls resulting in broken bones or sprains
- Inadequate care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients
These are all signs that abuse or neglect is happening within the nursing home. If you suspect that a loved one might be suffering from abuse or neglect, then it is in your best interest to hire a nursing home abuse lawyer.
We know that nursing home abuse is a difficult thing to process and go through. Hiring an empathetic nursing home abuse lawyer is a great way to not only get justice for your loved one but to have peace of mind that your family is in good hands.