One of the most egregious decisions a family may have to consider is the need to place an older loved one in a nursing home. Not only is there the possibility of feeling guilty because you can no longer care for the person who raised you, but you also have concerns or fears of entrusting the health and well-being of a frail older person into the hands of strangers. So imagine the horror you would feel if you suspected that a parent or grandparent was being abused or neglected. If you suspect a loved one is being neglected or abused, look for one or more of these signs that may indicate neglect.
Signs of neglect
The reason you put your loved one in a nursing home was because he was unable to care for himself in many basic ways:
• Maintain proper hygiene
• They feed themselves
• Take medications correctly
Furthermore, they can also suffer from limited mobility and memory loss. After putting them in a nursing home, you expect the staff to provide your loved one with those needs. When an older person is neglected, they show signs that those basic needs are not being met:
• Pressure ulcers
• Symptoms of dehydration or malnutrition
• Symptoms that you are not taking your medicine.
• Smells like urine or feces
• Look unkempt, such as unbrushed hair or dirty clothes
• Lack of basic hygiene such as bathing or brushing teeth
This list is not all inclusive. If it appears that your loved one is not receiving the standard of care that a reasonable person would expect, you should investigate whether your loved one is being neglected.
Signs of abuse
If anything is worse than neglect, it is abuse. An older person has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. The elderly should never suffer any of the following forms of abuse:
• Isolation from other patients
• Unreasonable restrictions
• Yelled, insulted or threatened
• Hit, slapped, hit, bit
• Sexual assault
• Discriminated against for any reason
• Unreasonable medication to control behavior
Also, they should definitely not be inflicted physical or mental pain or punishment. Some signs of this type of abuse are:
• Bruises or cuts
• Broken bones, especially broken hips
• becomes withdrawn
• Wants to be away from other patients
• Starts to bite
• Fear of talking to nursing home staff.
• Shows nervous behaviors that you have not seen before
• Sudden death
Like the signs of neglect, these signs are not all inclusive and are limited to these indicators only. If you suspect your loved one is being abused, don’t hesitate to act. You must do everything you can to protect the life, health and rights of your loved one.
Get legal help
You can file a complaint on your own and even try to change nursing homes. However, elder abuse and neglect is not only illegal, it also violates the rights of a group of people who cannot defend themselves. A Minnesota personal injury attorney can help you get results, defend your loved one’s rights, and even obtain compensation for your loved one for any injuries that may have occurred. If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, don’t hesitate to call a personal injury attorney. The life of your loved one could depend on it.