Recognizing the Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home abuse and neglect is a major concern of most families who have loved ones living in nursing home facilities. If your family member is in a nursing home, you need to be aware of the signs of elder abuse and neglect. Nursing homes can be held liable for abuse and neglect of their residents.

Elder abuse has been defined as the act of “doing something or failing to do something that results in harm to an elderly person.” It also refers to some type of action that places a helpless elderly person in harm’s way. Abuse can be physical, verbal or financial. Neglect is also considered to be a form of elder abuse. Abusers can be family members, caregivers, relatives or employees from a nursing home. Since elder abuse has become such a major problem in the United States, all 50 states now have laws against elder abuse.

The warning signs of nursing home abuse depend on the type of abuse taking place. Listed below are signs of elder abuse classified under physical, verbal, financial and neglect.

Warning Signs of Physical Abuse in a Nursing Home
Physical abuse can include assault, battery, unnecessary physical restraint or other violence intended to injure the nursing home resident. Some of the signs of physical abuse include the following:

• Bruises
  
• Cuts
  
• Rope burns
  
• Broken bones
  
• Welts
  
• Sprains

Warning Signs of Verbal or Emotional Abuse in a Nursing Home
Verbal and emotional abuse can impact the nursing home resident’s self esteem and may include unkind remarks, yelling and threats. The warning signs of emotional or verbal abuse are as follows:

• Agitation
  
• Unusual behavior
  
• Withdrawal from others
  
• Social isolation
  
• Fear

Warning Signs of Financial Abuse
Elderly people are often the victims of financial abuse. Abusers use intimidation and trickery to manipulate elderly adults, so that they can take advantage of them financially. Financial abuse can occur at a nursing home and the signs include:

• Missing valuables
  
• Unexplained spending
  
• Forged signatures on financial documents
  
• Suspicious credit card activity

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing home residents are often neglected for many reasons, such as understaffed facilities and an overall disregard for the residents’ wellbeing. Signs of nursing home neglect include:

• Unclean living conditions
  
• Infections
  
• Bed sores
  
• Dehydration
  
• Malnutrition
  
• Medical needs that are not being met
  
• Weight loss

If you believe that your family member may be the victim of nursing home abuse, contact the Kentucky nursing home abuse attorneys at Gray and White Law at 1-502-210-8942 or 1-800-634-8767.