For those of us that have seen our loved ones off to a nursing home or other long-term care facility, one of our fears may be abuse or neglect. As diligent as we may feel we are in checking on them and checking in on their staff, we may miss signs of nursing home abuse. Although you may not know exactly what to look for, there are several signs that things may not be as good as they seem.
One of the main types of nursing home abuse is simple neglect. Inadequate or uncaring staff may allow your loved one to sit for hours if not days without the attention they require. As difficult as this may be to detect, the results of neglect are usually pretty hard to hide. You may notice things like bed sores or soiled clothing on your loved one. If staff members rush in when you arrive and quickly attend to your loved one, this may also be a sign they have not been in there in a while.
If your loved one can still communicate with you and expresses concern for their care, they should be taken seriously. While not many individuals admit to enjoying their stay at a long-term care facility, any issue that seems to be impacting their mental or emotional well-being should be looked into. If they are unable to communicate with you, it may be up to you to identify and voice concerns regarding their care to the facilities staff or management.
In the event your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, you may benefit from speaking to an attorney. As an advocate for your loved one, an attorney can see that the abuse stops, and the responsible parties are held accountable.
