Nursing Home Abuse Claims
Nursing homes owe their residents a particularly high standard of care. Families entrust their elderly loved ones to these institutions in the belief that they well be well cared for around the clock. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse has become an ever-increasing problem in the United States. As the country’s elderly population grows, nursing homes become more crowded; many nursing homes are understaffed, with employees who are overworked and sometimes poorly trained. If someone you love has been the victim of nursing home or elder abuse, you have the right to secure an attorney and file a lawsuit against the negligent party.
Types of Abuse
Nursing home abuse can take many forms. Physical abuse often occurs because of frustration on the part of employees, particularly with residents who are unable or unwilling to cooperate with their instructions or requests. The elderly are also especially vulnerable to emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. All too often, abuse takes the more passive form of neglect, with elderly residents’ medical, hygiene, and other needs being ignored or simply forgotten.
Signs of Abuse
If you have even a slight suspicion that your elderly loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse, you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer. Common signs of nursing home abuse include a sudden and unexplained change in behavior; the presence of bedsores, bruises, or other physical signs of physical abuse or neglect; serious unexplained injuries such as brain injury; the disappearance of money that your loved one cannot explain; drastic changes in appetite and weight; and social withdrawal.
Contact a Lawyer
Many elders are unable to care for themselves, let alone take legal action on their own behalf. That is why it is important for family members of nursing home residents to be vigilant and check up on their loved ones frequently. While many nursing homes are reputable institutions with caring, well-trained experts, your elderly loved one’s health and happiness are too important to give a nursing home the benefit of the doubt if you see signs of potential abuse.