Archive for the ‘Nursing Home Abuse’ Category

What Is Nursing Home Abuse and What Can You Do About It?

Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

Most people treat older adults with respect regardless of whether they need nursing home care. Sadly, though, nursing home abuse sometimes affects the most vulnerable elderly people. This is what you need to know and how you can fight back on your loved one’s behalf.

What Is Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse can occur in different forms, but it always involves some type of harm to an elderly resident. Unfortunately, many families who have older loved ones in need of extra specialized help entrust them to facilities without researching them beforehand. Not knowing a facility’s reputation can increase the risk of abuse. While nothing can undo the harm suffered by your loved one, nursing home abuse lawyers at A to Z injury law can hold the liable party or parties accountable.

Breaking Down the Different Types of Nursing Home Abuse

A nursing home abuse attorney can help you prepare a lawsuit if your loved one has suffered in their long-term care facility. Physical abuse is one of the most common types of nursing home abuse. It occurs when a staff member intentionally hits, slaps, kicks, or pushes a resident, causing injuries.

Emotional nursing home abuse involves verbally berating, threatening, or instilling fear in an elderly resident. If your loved one is subjected to this treatment, they can appear withdrawn, sullen, or sad. They may not act the way they normally do and may be fearful.

Sexual abuse against nursing home residents ranks as one of the most heinous. Nursing home abuse lawsuits can hold the staff member responsible for raping or molesting residents liable for the harm suffered by the victims.

Some nursing home abuse is financial. If you have noticed large sums of money suddenly missing from your relative’s bank account, a staff member assigned to caring for them might be helping themselves to their funds. A nursing home abuse attorney can help you prepare your lawsuit to recover damages.

Reporting Nursing Home Abuse

In addition to contacting nursing home abuse lawyers for advice and filing a lawsuit, you can take other steps to report the abuse against your vulnerable loved one. Speaking up on their behalf can help you be their voice. Reporting the abuse to law enforcement authorities is one of the first steps to start an investigation so that those at fault can be brought to justice.

If your loved one has suffered a life-threatening emergency as a result of nursing home abuse, call 911 immediately. You can also contact the state’s nursing home ombudsman to report the nursing home facility for the abuse. When nursing home abuse lawsuits are pending, the ombudsman will check on the welfare of residents in the reported facilities to determine if abuse is taking place.

No one should suffer nursing home abuse, but if your loved one has been a victim, contact A to Z Injury Law to discuss your case with nursing home abuse lawyers.

Recognizing Nursing Home Abuse

Tuesday, August 31st, 2021

Because many nursing home residents cannot speak or communicate for themselves you must be able to recognize physical and medical neglect.

 

It’s fairly easy to spot nursing home abuse by the lack of personal hygiene assistance and dirty or filthy surroundings. Keep reading to learn more.

Ensure Their Health and Safety

If your loved one is bedridden, you must take steps to ensure their health and safety. For example, if they have mobility issues, they should have grab bars in the restroom as well as assistance equipment to get out of bed and chairs.

 

Sometimes nursing home neglect is subtle. For example, your relatives may suffer from bedsores. Frequent patient turning almost eliminates bedsores, so you should be worried if your loved one gets them. However, even the most diligent caregiver may have patients with bedsores.

 

Also check for signs of neglect such as dehydration or wet diapers, in addition to how frequently your family member is relocated.

 

Concerned about your loved one’s care? 

 

Talk to the doctor in charge. But don’t fall for the “doctor knows best” nonsense. If you have concerns about your family member’s treatment and the doctor dismisses them without explanation, don’t accept it. Medical neglect is as bad as physical neglect, and lack of access to adequate medical care is just unacceptable. A nursing home abuse lawyer like the team we have here at A to Z Injury Law can help.

Serious Nursing Home Concerns

Do not contact the nursing home administration unless you have serious concerns about nursing home abuse and proof. This will ensure that you’ve brought them everything they need to take action without any delay or excuse. 

 

If you observe no change after a complaint, report the negligence. Neglecting a nursing home resident is both a state and federal crime and you could have a serious case on your hands.

 

Complaints may be filed to the state health agency, the nursing home ombudsman, or a nursing home advocacy organization.

 

We don’t always have time to provide our senior friends and family the loving care and attention they require. Many individuals choose nursing homes or assisted living facilities over home care. These institutions may provide a sense of community for the elderly, but they can also be hazardous.

 

In contrast to nursing home abuse, which involves personnel physically, emotionally, and even financially mishandling patients, neglect involves the reverse. Neglected residents go unnoticed and untreated. Sadly, most older people in assisted living are there because they can’t meet their own basic requirements. As a result, these people may be unable to supply food and water for themselves.

Neglect

When an elderly person is ignored, they are denied basic needs. Also, the elderly frequently depend on others to keep them clean, cook for them and even prepare medications. Those with mobility problems may be unable to get out of bed, preventing toilet use. Nurses who refuse or fail to assist patients to get out of bed to use the toilet may leave them lying in their own waste.

 

Other Indicators of Nursing Home Abuse include:

  • Malnutrition
  • Dehydration
  • Scabies
  • Unsafe housing
  • Dirt, fleas, lice
  • Infections
  • ill-health

 

To keep your loved ones secure, you should visit many nursing facilities before settling on one. Try to visit all of the institutions and interview mentally competent individuals. Also,  try to visit or communicate with your elderly relative frequently to ensure appropriate care

Contact A to Z Injury Law

A to Z injury Law in Miami is committed to helping our client’s lives easier following an accident that results in injuries or from problems arising from nursing home neglect.

 

That is why we formed A to Z Injury Law, and that is what drives us to provide the best possible legal representation for our clients here in Miami, Fort Myers, and throughout South Florida.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal representation for nursing home abuse, call us today at 305-889-7056 or contact us online for a free case review.

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