Recognizing Nursing Home Abuse

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.