What are the signs of nursing home abuse?

It is important to remember that the abuse of an older person can happen at the hands of an individual caregiver, or in a nursing home.  Below are some examples of the forms elderly abuse can take.

1.      Abuse: There are many different situations where nursing home abuse can occur.  However, the following are categories that generally rise to the level of abuse:

·         Physical abuse.

·         Emotional abuse.

·         Sexual abuse.

·         Financial exploitation.

2.      Neglect:  While neglect can take many forms, it is generally defined as a failure to provide for an older person’s needs as those needs relate to food, shelter, clothing, hygiene or health care.

Warning Signs of Abuse or Neglect

There are many types of warning signs that may indicate someone is being abused or neglected.  They may include:

1.      Physical or Sexual Abuse:

·         Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases

·         Unexplained bruises, fractures, welts, cuts, sores, or burns.

2.      Financial Exploitation

·         An elderly person has signed papers to transfer authority to someone else, such as power of attorney or will, but does not understand what the transaction means.

3.      Emotional Abuse

·         Unusual changes in behavior and alertness.

·         A caregiver does not let anyone in the home or visitors speak to the elder.

·         A caregiver is verbally demeaning, controlling, or uncaring.

4.      Neglect

·         Lack of basic hygiene or suitable clothing.

·         No nutritional food.

·         An elderly person suffering from dementia is left unsupervised.

·         An elderly person is confined to his or her bed and is without care

·         The home is cluttered and dirty.

·         The presence of bedsores.

Contact an experienced nursing home injury attorney

At Polito & Harrington, we offer personalized, and attentive service while handling your nursing home abuse case.  Your case will be handled directly by CT & RI lawyers, Humbert Polito or James Harrington. You will always be able to talk with your lawyer when you need to. We will work hard to hold people and companies responsible for injuries caused by their carelessness.

To schedule a free consultation at Polito & Harrington to discuss your nursing home abuse claim, call 1.860.447.3300.

Sources

1.      https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/reporting-nursing-home-injuries-abuse.html

2.      https://injury.findlaw.com/torts-and-personal-injuries/nursing-home-abuse.html

3.      https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/how-to-recognize-and-act-upon-nursing-home-neglect-or-abuse

4.      https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/common-kinds-nursing-home-abuse.html