Report Nursing Home Abuse to Stop It

Added: (Wed Jan 06 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Unfortunately, nursing home abuse happens far more regularly than we would like to think. It is up to us to stop this in its tracks.

When we arrive at a point in time in our lives where we are faced with a decision to put a loved one in a nursing home, we hope only for the best care. We know that our elders will face many strange and different things in their new surroundings. Ideally, the nursing home staff will help your loved one adjust to their new location. If anyone thought that they were placing a relative in a place where they were subjected to abuse, they would be horrified.

“Nursing home abuse isn’t always readily apparent on the surface. It often appears in subtle forms that the family needs to watch for when they visit. For instance, unexplained bruises, withdrawal from contact, new and/or odd behavior or staff not leaving the family alone with the resident when they visit are some of the signs that something is not right. Other indicators relate to suspected malnutrition, verbal abuse, physical abuse, accessibility to needs and theft,” indicated Deborah Barron, of the Barron Law Office in Sacramento, California.

Suspect malnutrition if the senior now has more physical and mental difficulties than before they were placed in the nursing home. While it might be difficult to determine if they are being properly fed, it may help to ask the senior if they are getting enough to eat and drink. Don’t always rely on the answer, as some seniors with dementia may not be able to respond appropriately.

When it comes to verbal abuse, pay attention to the employees and how they handle the residents. Are they treating the seniors with respect and dignity? If the answer to that is no, then chances are the senior is not being accorded the proper care. It’s time to step in and do something.

“For signs of physical abuse, look for torn clothing, fractures, pulled hair, bed sores, bruises and lacerations that seem to have no rational explanation. If this happens on a regular basis, something is not right with this picture,” Barron commented.

Seniors need to be able to access what they require while they are living in a nursing home. This often may include medications they are able to take on their own, ways to talk to their family, being fed decent food on a regular basis and access to mental stimulation in the form of physical therapy.

If theft of items is suspected because personal items are missing, this is a bit more difficult to deal with depending on the mental condition of the senior. Often seniors will misplace items and forget where they left them. “If money, cell phones, laptop computers or other expensive items keep disappearing, it’s time to talk to the administration. If someone is accessing a senior’s bank account when they have no business doing so, it’s time to speak to a skilled attorney and the police,” added Barron.

No one needs to face abuse in their lives. It’s just that plain and simple. Seniors are to be cherished and handled with respect and dignity. If a senior is experiencing abuse, it is up to the person who placed them in their current facility to make sure they are not being mistreated or to put a stop to any suspected ill-treatment.

One of the first things to do is report the facility. “If the home itself encouraged or overlooked any type of neglect on the premises, they are subject to punishment under the law. This applies to any of the workers in the nursing home that may have taken part in the maltreatment of senior residents. Take any concerns about nursing home abuse to a qualified personal injury attorney and ask for assistance in suing the nursing home and possibly recovering damages,” advised Deborah Barron, of the Barron Law Office in Sacramento, California.