3 Types of Nursing Home Abuse
It isn’t an easy decision to put your loved one in the care of someone else, especially a nursing home. Nursing homes are there to provide a valuable service to the elderly, disabled, and families out there. However, there is a darker side to the care provided in these facilities that many people just simply aren’t aware of. Nursing home abuse and neglect take away the care your loved one needs and your expectations from them.
By definition nursing, home abuse is the willful infliction of injury, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical or mental anguish. Sadly, not all abuse is easily detected. If you have placed a loved one in a nursing home here are some of the most common types of nursing home abuse to look out for.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is one of the easiest to spot. This is because it includes the intentional infliction of physical harm on a resident, including slapping, punching, kicking, and the use of excessive restraints. If the caregiver is withholding prescribed medications or administering prohibited medications it can also be considered physical abuse.
Here are some of the warning signs that you should look out for if you suspect that your loved one is being abused:
- The caregiver is reluctant or won’t allow you to be alone with the resident
- There are unexplained injuries such as broken bones, sprains, bruises, or scars
- There are reports of refusing to take mediations or taking too much
- There are unexpected signs of restraints on the wrists or legs
Emotional Abuse
Sadly, emotional abuse is less conspicuous than physical abuse but it is no less abhorrent. While it may be harder to detect it can have just as lasting of an impact as physical abuse.
Emotional abuse is defined as any deliberate causing of anxiety, anguish, fear, or other undesirable mental states. It is not limited to active efforts as it can occur through passive behavior such as intentionally ignoring a resident’s verbal requests or needs. Here are some signs to look out for that might indicate emotional abuse:
- The caregiver will not allow you to be alone with the resident
- There is questionable behavior by the caregiver in your presence
- The resident is acting differently when the caregiver is around
- The resident is reluctant to speak when the caregiver is around
Financial Abuse
Sadly the elderly are susceptible to fraud and exploitation. This is true in nursing homes who may suffer from failing mental capacity or even poor eyesight and rely on others for basic tasks such as reading mail or managing bank accounts. Financial abuse is harder to detect and often goes unnoticed till it is too late. Here are some signs to point to it:
- Unpaid bills
- Unexpected changes to wills or powers of attorney
- The disappearance of personal property or money
- Suspense additions of beneficiaries to life insurance policies
We know that nursing home abuse is serious and emotionally draining and that is why talking to a nursing home abuse lawyer, like our friends at Disparti Law Group, is often in your best interest to help you through this time.