Nursing Home Abuse/Elder Abuse

Elders should be respected and treated with care during their final years. Many elders are put into nursing homes so that they can receive the proper care and attention that they need. Unfortunately, in many cases, they are not given the proper treatment and are neglected or abused. It is wise to consult with an experienced nursing home neglect and abuse lawyer to learn more about your rights.

What is Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse and neglect not only affects the victim, but their family as well. The most common types of abuse in a nursing home are:

• Physical abuse, including unnecessary physical or forced restraint, hitting, choking, or over-medicating patients.
• Sexual abuse occurs when a member of the nursing home staff engages in a sexual act with a non-consenting patient. This can also include sexual advances or comments as well.
• Emotional abuse of the patient, including yelling, foul language, belittling, or making fun of patients. It can also be considered emotional abuse if an attendant makes promises to assist the patient but does not deliver on those promises.
• Neglect occurs when the patient’s needs are not met, including food, bathing, or other hygiene requirements.
• Abandonment is another form of abuse that occurs when the patient is left alone without any treatment, support or contact with medical staff.
• Financial abuse happens when the family’s money is not used to take care of their loved one or is misused in other manners.

Signs of Elder Abuse

Because abuse can have different effects on the patients, it is important to understand what signs to look for if you suspect that your loved one has been abused in a nursing home. It is important to be on the lookout for signs such as:

• Bruises, cuts, scrapes, burns, sores or infections
• Signs of mental anguish, depression, or mood swings
• Sleep deprivation
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of interest in activities

Nursing home laws are in effect to help protect the patients in these facilities and prosecute those who choose to abuse the very people they should be taking care of. Unfortunately, because many of the residents of nursing homes are cognitively impaired, they become easy targets for abuse. If you suspect that your loved one has suffered abuse in their nursing home, the attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers will fight for your rights so that your loved one gets the treatment he or she deserves.

Please contact our nursing home abuse lawyers today to schedule a no-cost, confidential consultation. Jacoby & Meyers has offices nationwide, including Southern California, New York, Alabama, Florida, and Arizona.