Signs Your Loved One is Being Neglected or Abused by a Nursing Home

 Posted on March 20, 2018 in Neglect

The people who call nursing homes their residence are generally unable to care for themselves. Caused by either physical disability or mental, nursing home residents often have trouble expressing when they are being mistreated. Sometimes, residents do not have the memory to report times they have been neglected by staff and other times they are afraid to report abuse or neglect because they fear retaliation. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, be on the lookout for the following signs of mistreatment.

Major Changes in Mood or Behavior

If your loved one has become much more withdrawn or unhappy, this can be a sign that something is not right at their nursing home. While these symptoms alone are not enough to accuse the staff of abuse, patterns of sadness or irritability which coincide with certain staff members or activities could be an indication that something is not right. If a nursing home resident is hesitant or outright afraid to go to certain areas or be around certain people, more investigation is needed as to the cause of the apprehension.

Unexplained Bruises or Injuries

It can be very difficult to find signs of physical abuse on a nursing home resident. Many medications and illnesses can cause individuals to easily bruise and sometimes residents have accidents where they simply bump into something. However, if you are noticing a pattern of unexplained injuries or staff cannot account for when the injury occurred, this may be a sign your loved one is being physically abused. If your loved one experiences unexplained weight loss, this could be a warning that he or she is not getting enough to eat and drink. Sadly, short-staffed nursing homes can sometimes skip basic duties like feeding and hydrating residents.

Staff Who Are Uninformed and Uninterested

It can be stressful to be a caregiver in a nursing home and many nursing homes are distressingly understaffed. A person who works in a nursing home should enjoy caring for elderly and sick people. Staff who are unfriendly to residents and their family can be a sign that there are problems. If you ask a staff member a question about your loved one, they should either have the answer or help you find an answer. Furthermore, nursing home staff should be available to help a resident when he or she presses the call button or otherwise signals they need help. A nursing home which is slow to respond to residents’ needs may be one which does not prioritize the safety and happiness of residents.

If your loved one has been injured or killed because of negligent or abusive nursing home staff, you need an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse injury attorney. To speak with a member of the team at Schwartz Injury Law, call 312-535-4625 today.

Sources:

https://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-nursing-homes/articles/2013/02/26/9-warning-signs-of-bad-care

https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/elder-abuse-signs