When It’s Time to Start Asking Questions: 7 Signs of Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse

The residents of nursing homes are usually dependent upon the staff for service and care and thus, they are often prone to exploitation due to their frailty. A resident of a nursing home who suffers from neglect or abuse may be incapable of speaking up due to the fear of what might happen to them in the absence of their loved ones. For that reason, it’s often advisable to watch out for signs of nursing home neglect or abuse whenever you visit your loved ones in their nursing facilities. Here’s is what to look out for.

1. Poor Personal Hygiene

In any nursing facilities, nurses are expected to help with the basic hygiene of the residents. Many people residing in these facilities require assistance getting dressed, clipping their nails, brushing their teeth, and combing their hair. A neglected individual is often left doing these things alone, and more often than not, they are not able to maintain their hygiene.

2. Changes in Mental Status or Consciousness

Sometimes, nursing home staff members utilize chemicals restraints to make the work easier for them. If your loved one has a change in their mental status ranging, from stupor to confusion, then you need to be careful. If you notice a difference in their functionality, take immediate action to determine why that is the case.

3. Poor Living Condition

Nursing facilities should offer residents with a clean and safe environment. Failure to do so indicates that the residents are being neglected. The law indicates that nursing homes ought to establish and maintain a program that would control infection so as to provide a safe environment for residents. Moreover, the facilities need to meet the safety and security requirements provided by the state.

4. Lack or Loss of Mobility

When a resident is neglected, they may be left in bed for long, risking the loss of mobility. In the absence of routine movement, residents may end up facing other health complications such as infections and bedsores.

5. Fear or Avoidance of Nursing Staff

If your loved one has stopped speaking to a nurse or looking at a particular staff member, then that is a sign they are being abused. If there is a look of fear in their eyes when a particular nurse or doctor enters the room, then you need to find out what the problem is since that is a sign of physical, verbal, or sexual abuse.

6. Unexpected Injuries

Bruises, broken bones, or head injuries could indicate that an individual is being neglected or abused in the nursing facility. People who aren’t given any assistance may end up doing everything for themselves and this may result in their injuries. Slips and falls among the sick and the elderly are clear signs of neglect. In fact, you can seek help from a Bradenton based personal injury laywer or a lawyer in your area to get compensation from your loved one falling and injuring themselves, so make sure that you are getting all the help and financial security you can from these kinds of negligent acts.

7. Rapid Weight Loss

Rapid weight loss is a clear sign of abuse or neglect. Under the right care plan, a resident in a nursing home should maintain or gain weight. Weight loss may signify depression, poor balance of medication, or even withholding of food.

Take Action

Neglect and abuse are tragic as they can result in severe physical and psychological trauma for residents in nursing homes. Knowing which signs to watch out for will go a long way in helping you to protect your loved ones. Renowned legal professionals such as Hupy and Abraham can help you file a claim against the nursing home if you feel your loved one is being abused or neglected.