What You Can Do to Detect Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home abuse can range from overt acts like physical abuse to subtle occurrences like overmedication, which is often unrecognized by family and friends. Immediately take action if your loved one has displayed any signs of trouble so the situation does not worsen. Moving the resident to another facility may be necessary if you suspect abuse. But it can be difficult to determine if your loved one is actually experiencing abuse.  An assisted living facility resident who demonstrates the following signs is likely to have been abused.

Open Wounds

Some abusive nursing homes like to pretend bedsores are normal and they just happen as people grow older. Because of this misconception, many people stand by and let their elderly loved ones suffer from chronic pain and even worse, death after suffering from these wounds. In nursing homes, patients should be moved every few hours, and their sheets should be changed regularly to prevent skin irritation. Your family member may not have received proper care if you spot a bedsore or other type of wound. After finding a bedsore, bring your loved one to a health care provider as soon as possible.

Delayed Visits

Residents' families should be wary when nursing homes forbid unplanned visits or are reluctant to approve them. If you are also not allowed to have a private visit with your family member then that is also a red flag. The nursing home staff use this tactic to pressure the patient from reporting to their family that they have been abused or ignored.

Mysterious Fractures

Nursing home patients are vulnerable to broken bones and are prone to falling down more often as they age, but you should still be skeptical of any injuries that appear. Keep in mind that your family member might have been medicated and would not be able to recall anything unusual when questioned. You should fear questioning staff after seeing bruises or if they sustain a fracture. If the staff is guarded or only offers vague answers about their injuries then that is a strong indication your family member is being abused by the nursing home staff.

Choosing to place aging family members in nursing homes is a huge decision, and it requires a lot of trust on your part. An elderly family member is placed in the hands of strangers. By abusing that trust, nursing homes traumatize the elderly and make the family members feel guilty for putting them in that situation in the first place.make nursing homes accountable for their actions. Contact a nursing home abuse lawyer so they can help you pursue legal action against the nursing home's owners and bring you peace.