Six Warning Signs Your Loved One Is A Victim Of Nursing Home Abuse
Sometimes, family members can no longer provide the regular care their elderly loved one needs and so, they must make the difficult choice to place them in a nursing home. There are many reasons making this decision is so hard for families to make but one of the biggest is that no one can ever be certain that nursing home residents will receive the support and care they need. Unfortunately, not all residents do.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in six nursing home residents will experience abuse, largely at the hands of their caregivers. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is important to know the top six signs of abuse, so you can put a stop to it immediately.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal is a very common sign of any type of abuse. Nursing home residents may no longer have the same interest in activities they once loved, or they may want to avoid certain staff members out of fear.
Poor Hygiene
Staff members in long-term care facilities are required to make sure an elder’s basic daily needs are met. This means making sure they are properly groomed, clean, and that their teeth and hair are brushed. Any time a nursing home resident shows signs of poor hygiene, you should wonder what other needs of theirs are not being met.
Sleeping Issues
There are many reasons nursing home abuse victims experience sleep issues. They may fear that a staff member will enter their room and abuse them, or they may be unable to sleep due to stress.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Sudden and unexplained weight loss is always worrisome in an elder. Sometimes this happens because the senior has developed a condition or illness. Other times, it may also be due to the fact that they are being abused or neglected. Staff members may carelessly forget to make sure the elder is getting sufficient nutrition, or they may withhold food as a form of punishment.
Exhibiting Signs of Trauma
Abuse is an extremely traumatic thing to experience. Some of the most common forms of trauma are as follows:
- Becoming startled easily
- Rocking back and forth
- Agitation and edginess
- Fatigue
- Nightmares or insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
Changes in Behavior
Due to the fact that abuse is so traumatic, it is very damaging to a person’s mental health and so, elders may start to show behavioral changes. Abused nursing home residents may withdraw from activities they once loved, becoming upset more easily, or become aggressive or violent when they have no history of such behavior.
Call Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Tampa if You Notice Signs of Abuse
There is no excuse for nursing home abuse. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer is dedicated to helping families seek the justice they deserve when an elder’s rights are not upheld. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or contact us online to schedule a free review of your case and to learn more.
Sources:
who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html
