What Are The Signs of Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse can involve physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, financial abuse, and sexual abuse. Since nursing home abuse takes on various forms, it also comes with a broad range of warning signs. In most cases, these warning signs point to obvious evidence of abuse, exploitation, or neglect. In other cases, however, the signs are more subtle.

To spot nursing home abuse, you should consider factors that may indicate that your loved one’s needs are being neglected. If you notice any of these warning signs or spot other red flags indicating that something’s not right, report it, and talk to The Villages nursing home abuse lawyer to explore your legal options moving forward:

Physical Abuse

• Cuts, abrasions, welts, bruises, rope marks
• Bone fractures
• Head trauma
• Punctures, open wounds, or untreated injuries in different stages of healing
• Dislocations and sprains
• Internal bleeding or injuries
• Bites
• Burn marks
• Physical evidence of punishments, such as proof of physical restraints
• Chemical restraints or medication overdose
• Sudden changes in behavior and general disposition

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

• Agitation or emotional distress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Non-responsive or uncommunicative
• Withdrawal from daily activities
• Lack of self-care
• Atypical behaviors usually blamed on dementia, including rocking, biting, sucking, etc.
• Feelings of despair or lower self-esteem

Neglect

• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Poor personal hygiene
• Untreated bed sores
• Untreated or unattended health issues
• Unsafe and unsanitary living conditions
• Medication withholding
• Treatment neglect
• Food deprivation

Financial Abuse

• Making poor and uncommon financial decisions
• Sudden provisions of questionable or unnecessary services
• Substandard care services
• Unpaid bills
• Sudden amendments to a will or any other financial paperwork
• Abrupt changes in banking practices and bank accounts, including sizeable withdrawals or adding unknown (to you) signatories to your loved one’s bank account
• Unexplained disappearance of valuable possessions or money or sudden transfers of property or money

Sexual Abuse

• Restlessness and agitation
• Sleep disturbances
• Increased depressive and anxiety symptoms
• Lacerations, abrasions, or bruises around the person’s private parts
• Unexplained anal or vaginal bleeding
• Unexplained incontinence
• Unexplained genital infection or sexually transmitted disease

It is also immensely crucial to note that older residents of nursing homes who have mental or physical disabilities have an increased risk of being abused and are less capable of protecting themselves from harm or removing themselves from imminent danger. In addition, nursing home abuse may manifest differently depending on multiple factors, such as the type, context, duration, and severity of the abuse the person experienced, as well as their emotional state, social connectedness, and cognitive and physical condition.

Reach Out to The Villages Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today

Learning that your loved one is enduring or has endured abuse at the hands of the people supposed to be caring for them can make you feel angry, helpless, and uncertain of what you should do next. To find out the best options for your case, ensure that your loved one’s rights are protected, and that all negligent parties will be held liable for their actions, contact The Villages nursing home abuse lawyer at Mickey Keenan, PA, today.

Arrange your appointment with The Villages nursing home abuse lawyer by calling our office at 813-871-1300 or filling out our online form.