The Subtleties Reveal the Big Picture: 5 Symptoms to Be on the Lookout for If You Want to Save Your Elders from Abuse

October 9, 2018 by

We can’t always keep an eye on our elderly loved ones. Sometimes we leave them in the care of other relatives or take them to a nursing home. We hope that they will receive the best of care but sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they are neglected or physically, sexually, psychologically or even financially abused. Statistics from nationalhomeabuseguide.org show that in excess of 40 percent of nursing home residents have reported abuse.

If an elderly relative reports abuse, you should consult an attorney who handles elderly abuse claims . However, like many victims, elderly people are often reluctant to speak up. That’s why you need to know the signs of abuse so you can get help for your relative when necessary. Let’s go into more detail about the varying types of elder abuse and their signs.

Physical abuse

Physical abuse involves any behavior that causes bodily harm. It includes kicking, hitting or burning the individual or tying them to their bed or wheelchair. If your elderly loved one has been physically abused, you may notice visible injuries. You should look out for burns, cuts or unexplained bleeding, sprains or fractures and recurring injuries. The individual may refuse to see a doctor about these issues.

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse refers to unwanted sexual contact with another person. The perpetrator can be a nursing home worker, visitor or even another patient. It includes inappropriate touching, rape and forcing the elderly person to watch pornography. You should look out for torn or bloody underwear, bruising around the genitals, sexually transmitted diseases and bleeding from the vagina or anus.

Psychological abuse

Psychological abuse hurts an individual emotionally. It may occur along with physical abuse. It involves threats, yelling or calling the person names. It can also include ignoring the individual, controlling them or withholding their personal items. The symptoms of psychological abuse may include withdrawal or fright, sudden changes in behavior, depression, loss of interest and trouble sleeping.

Financial abuse

Financial abuse involves misuse of the individual’s money or property. It includes forging their signature, using their credit or debit cards without their permission or forcing them to change their will. Over-charging for a service or charging for a service which wasn’t rendered is also considered financial abuse. Signs include unexplained withdrawals from a bank account, a new friend who the individual seems to be giving money, signatures that seem to be forged and sudden changes in wills or power of attorney.

Neglect

Neglect is when a caregiver doesn’t take care of an older person’s needs. They may not give them enough food or water. They may not ensure they are warm, dry and taking their medication. Abandoning an elderly individual completely is also considered neglect. Symptoms include dirty clothing and matted hair, an illness that isn’t treated, sudden weight loss and inadequate aids likes glasses, dentures or hearing aids.

If you notice any of these signs, ask your elderly relative gently if anything is wrong. Consult an attorney who handles elder abuse or call Adult Protective Services . You can’t change what has already happened but you can protect them from future abuse.

Filed Under: Health, Mom's Corner

A Culture of Dialogue: The Psychology Behind Family Disputes and How to Resolve Them

September 20, 2018 by

Some families are toxic. They pass poisonous habits, attitudes, and values onto others in the family, business, or other relationships. Toxic personalities injure, weaken, and destroy others. And, such families need focused and long-term professional help.

But, family disputes are not necessarily toxic. Most family disputes are common and natural. Just think of those with adolescents in the house! Most family disputes are healthy. As Psychology Today notes, “When you come to think of it, an essential part of marriage is quickly resolving the endless difference of opinion about everything from decorating to how to manage the children.”

Of course, the rate of divorce proves how difficult it can be to resolve family conflicts. Though they can at least be soothed at the breaking point by family law specialists like jennifer croker or similar professionals that deal with conflicting families. This way, families that are breaking up can do so on more amicable terms. With that in mind, it’s important to understand the psychology of family disputes and how to resolve them.

A culture of dialogue

Typical family disputes lead to behavioral changes like anger, avoidance, jealousy, and passive/aggressive responses. If they worsen, family members may pursue substance abuse or develop anxiety, depression, or other psychological disorders. And, the circumstances and conditions spread their influence to other family members.

Faced with family disputes, families should turn to counseling sooner than later because these problems do not get better with age. A solution to these negative behaviors and seemingly impossible resolution lies in advice from a professional mediator.

Mediation calls on a neutral mediator to assist clients in finding unique resolutions to their own distinct conflicts. And, it’s this advice that creates a culture of dialogue.

The mediator is trained to facilitate discussion and collaboration among the parties to the family disputes to help them discover and craft the best possible resolution of the conflict. If the dispute has approached litigation, the respective lawyers may participate. But, the mediator keeps the parties to the dispute involved in a culture of dialogue in a process that makes them part of the solution as well.

Because the disputants craft the outcome, it is more satisfying than legal settlement.

How to resolve family disputes

Perhaps, the ideal is to create a family environment in which disputes don’t happen or members resolve their own problems. For instance, the Dalai Lama is credited with creating the idea of “a culture of dialogue.” He taught, “A culture of dialogue is one in which people habitually gather together to explore their lives, their differences, their dreams. Every facet of such a culture would contribute to people learning together, building healthy relationships with each other and the natural world, and co-creating better prospects for their shared future.”

Sadly, most family disputes start and end without such sentiments. However, a professional mediator is trained and experienced in structuring, facilitating, and monitoring the same process. Mediation helps people explore their lives and differences. It encourages them to build healthy relationships. And, they do it by co-creating better prospects.

The lesson learned is, before you let a family dispute reach a violent stage, a hostile divorce, or estrangement from your children, it makes sense to seek the advice of a qualified mediator committed to resolving the situation that created the tension and to structure a solution with the full participation of the parties. Good lawyers will suggest the mediation route even if it avoids divorce or other final but emotionally costly solutions.

Filed Under: Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk

Protecting the Elderly: 4 Types of Nursing Home Abuse and How to Spot It

September 14, 2018 by

The statistics on nursing home abuse in the US are alarming. According to nationalhomeabuseguide.org, in excess of 40 percent of nursing home residents have reported abuse. Research from 2010 shows that up to half of all nursing home workers admitted to abusing or neglecting patients. It must be noted that not every case gets reported. This abuse can be both mental and physical, each one can be as permanent as the other, which is why it needs to come to a stop immediately. For physical injuries, lawyers like https://lawtx.com/ can be called to take over the situation and fight for the rightful and deserved justice of these victims. Despite this, the trauma can cut a deep scar that even a court case can remove.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), elder abuse is “any abuse and neglect of persons age 60 and older by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust.” Experts, such as this attorney, will tell you to seek legal help if you believe a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse.

This article will describe four types of elder abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional/psychological abuse and neglect. By the end, you’ll know the signs of each type and what you should do if you suspect any kind of abuse.

Physical abuse

This is when elderly patients suffer physical abuse, pain, or impairment because of bad treatment or neglect. This type of abuse is common and can lead to life-threatening injuries. Nursing home patients may even die. Most often, it is believed that the physical injury is caused by the caregivers of the nursing home. However, sometimes it’s a visitor or even another resident. Physical abuse can be active such as hitting or kicking but it can also include injuries caused by neglect and improper use of restraints. Signs include unexplained injuries, bruises, malnutrition, and dehydration. Though the abuse might be due to the reason that the nursing homes are understaffed and lack sufficient training, the effects of such injury could prove to be deadly.

Sexual abuse

This is unwanted physical and sexual contact with an elderly person. It includes sexual contact with a patient who is disoriented or otherwise unable to give consent. Women are more likely to become victims of elder sexual abuse. This type of abuse includes sexual assault and battery, rape, forced nudity and sexual photography. Signs include STDs and infections, bruises in the genital area or breasts, vaginal bleeding, anxiety, and fear around the caregiver.

Emotional abuse

This is the most difficult type of abuse to measure or prove. It doesn’t leave physical evidence and may not always be witnessed. Emotional abuse is when someone acts in a way that causes an elderly person emotional pain and suffering. It can be both verbal and non-verbal and includes yelling, making threats, withdrawing affection and taking away personal items. Patients treated in this way may become fearful or withdrawn or experience changes in behavior.

Neglect

This is negligence on the part of the nursing home to give proper care. Examples include isolation, malnutrition, falls and improper medication management. Family members who visit the nursing home will likely see the signs. They include an unclean or unsafe environment, sudden weight loss and bruising. You may also see a staff member who appears discontent or disinterested.

What to do when you suspect abuse

One of the reasons abuse often goes unreported is that loved ones don’t know what to do when they suspect something is wrong. One option is to visit the National Center on Elder Abuse site for information on who should be contacted in your state. You can talk to your loved one’s doctor or find out if there’s a social worker assigned to your area. Don’t be afraid to call 911 if the situation is urgent and you believe the elderly person’s life is in danger. Once you have made a report, contact a personal injury attorney about you should proceed.

Filed Under: Health, Mom's Corner

A Medical Emergency Cannot Be Postponed: Can a Personal Loan Cover Medical Expenses?

August 14, 2018 by

Emergencies happen when we least expect them and often when we can least afford them. Medical emergencies are often costly to deal with. If you’re not prepared they can leave you struggling to make ends meet for some time. In fact, some people end up going bankrupt because of serious ailments. Even if you have insurance, you may still be left holding some costs. Many people opt for personal loans to help them meet the costs of poor health. This is an option but it’s certainly not the only thing you can do. Let’s discuss loans in greater detail and look at some alternatives.

Pros and cons of personal loans

Personal loans are unsecured so you don’t need any collateral to apply for one. They can cover a variety of needs and the interest rate is usually lower than that on credit cards. If you’ve had good credit before your emergency, you can reach out to your bank or usual lender for assistance. If you have bad credit, many institutions will either deny your loan or offer you a very high interest rate. You should also avoid high-interest payday loans. These can make your financial situation even worse. Some lenders do offer people with bad credit the same terms as those with good credit. You will be able to apply, get approved today and have your cash in a couple days or even hours.

Check your medical bills carefully

If you’ve been handed a bill with a long list of charges, you may not look at each item carefully. You may just look at the total and become overwhelmed. You should examine each line item carefully to ensure you do in fact owe that amount for that service. Don’t be afraid to query things that don’t look right. If you were overcharged or charged for a service you didn’t receive, taking this off the bill may make your payment more manageable than you anticipated.

Ask your doctor about a payment plan

Doctors and medical centers understand that healthcare costs are high. They may be willing to work out a reasonable payment plan with you. Work out what you can afford and see if they are willing to accept it. If they do, make sure you get an agreement in writing so problems don’t arise later on. Your doctor may or may not accept a payment plan but there’s only one way to find out.

Ask family and friends for help

It can be hard to ask those who are close to us for assistance. We often don’t want them to know how bad things are. However, sometimes they would rush to help if they only knew. Be considerate of their own financial situation and expenses but ask for help. Several relatives may be able to contribute a little which adds up to a lot. They may also be able to help indirectly. They may offer to bring you meals so you don’t spend as much on groceries. They may offer childcare services so you don’t have to pay a sitter. Relatives may also reduce your taxi expenses by driving you to doctor’s appointments. Ask them.

Personal loans can help you to meet the expenses of a medical emergency. You just need to be careful. Ensure you’re not saddled with interest payments that you won’t be able to meet. You all need to make you’re being billed correctly. Don’t forget, you can ask your doctor for a payment plan and ask your loved ones to help.

Filed Under: Health, House Matters

Why Moving Does Not Need to Be Difficult

August 7, 2018 by

When you decide to move, you probably are looking forward to the new home, but dreading the process. For many of you, moving home is the start of a completely new chapter in your life and you are looking forward to the change. But for others, you may think that finding a new home is one of the most stressful jobs there is. This is why it is important that you start off on the right foot. For example, looking for someone like the best real estate agent in Toronto will be able to help you find a home that is suitable for your needs. If you are able to find a home that you love, you may feel more upbeat about the process, and hiring a professional real estate agent is the perfect way to do this. You may want to find out the cost of living information online for the areas you’re thinking of moving to in order to help inform your moving decision; information for various locations around the state of Alabama can be found here – https://localpropertyinc.com. Once you have found the home of your dreams, you next need to turn your attention to the next stage of the process. Moving.

But don’t worry. It can be easier than you think. Rather than spending your time packing all your belongings, you can relax, and concentrate on packing a small bag with just the things that you will need immediately. Hiring a professional will mean less stress for you, especially on the big moving day. If there are quite a few essential things that you need on the day that you move, you may want to see about using a secure flatbed trailer attached to your car/truck so you can transport them safely.

No Pressure or Worries

If you have went the route of packing everything in your home and renting a truck, loading and unloading, you already know, this is difficult. You get everything ready, but you forgot to reserve a truck, so you end up running all over town trying to find a rental company with one available. When you finally find one, friends that were supposed to help with loading the heavy furniture suddenly do not show. The clock is ticking on the rental, and you are in a panic trying to find the help you need.

When you hire professionals, they will come to your home and take care of everything from packing to loading and unloading. If you are moving from an apartment, you know the difficulties you had when moving in, with stairs and maneuvering furniture through small doorways. There is no need to worry about any of these things when you decide to hire professional movers.

Packing the Right Way

Professionals pack everything with care to protect all your belongings from antiques to fragile items. They have all the packing supplies and boxes as well as equipment for moving heavy items. Moving companies like S&S Moving are extremely busy so you will have to book them months in advance so the sooner you decide a moving date the better.

Depending on how far you are moving, you may need time to familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood. You may need to figure out the best routes to schools, shopping, restaurants, and other amenities. When you free up the time it would take you to move your household belongings to the new location, you can spend time doing all of these things and more without feeling overwhelmed.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House Matters
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