When your loved one is in a nursing home, you would like to believe that they are residing in a safe place where caregivers are looking out for their best interest. Since your loved one has reached an age where they can no longer care for themselves, it is extremely disheartening to find out your loved one has suffered from nursing home abuse and you need to start looking for an attorney. Continue reading to learn about the signs that might indicate that it is time to hire a nursing home abuse attorney.
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Types of Nursing Home Abuse
It is important to know that there are different types of nursing home abuse that can take place. You should take any form of abuse as a sign that it is time to hire a nursing home abuse attorney.
Neglect
General neglect is a common form of abuse that takes place in nursing homes and can be defined as the act of failing to provide proper care to nursing home residents, whether intentional or unintentional. Common signs of nursing home neglect might include:
- Nursing home residents are left unattended for extended lengths of time
- Failing to provide residents with enough food, water, or other necessary hydration and nutrition
- Improperly administering medications to nursing home residents
- Dismissing or ignoring residents’ needs
- Failing to report injuries or illness to the appropriate people in a timely manner
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is probably the most common form of abuse that comes to mind when discussing nursing home abuse cases. Physical abuse is defined as an intentional act of causing bodily injury or trauma to a nursing home resident. Common types of physical abuse in a nursing home can include, but are not limited to:
- Striking or hitting of residents
- Punching or kicking of residents
- Biting residents
- Pushing or shoving residents
- Using an object to cause injury to residents
Emotional Abuse
Emotional nursing home abuse is defined as words of actions carried out with the intent to cause distress, fear, and mental trauma to a nursing home resident. There are many ways that nursing home staff can cause emotional abuse to residents, including:
- Name-calling of residents
- Making insulting comments to residents about their appearance, intelligence, or more
- Threatening nursing home residents
- Isolating residents from other residents or family members
Financial Abuse
It is not uncommon for nursing home residents to suffer from financial abuse, which is defined as intentional exploitation and manipulation of residents to gain financial control over them. When inflicting financial abuse, staff members will obtain illegal and unauthorized use of the nursing home resident’s finances, which is typically done by befriending and gaining the trust of the resident. Signs that your loved one has suffered from financial abuse in a nursing home can include:
- Staff members do not allow residents to access their own personal funds
- Bank statements and personal documents are stolen from residents
- Money and other valuable possessions are stolen from the resident
- Documents are forged
- Misusing power of attorney
Beltz & Beltz Are Ready to Represent You In Your Nursing Home Case
The personal injury attorneys at Beltz & Beltz have many years of experience representing the victims of nursing home abuse cases and know how to get results. Our experienced attorneys know the ins and outs of the state’s regulatory standards and statutes governing nursing homes and have knowledge of how the defense side of these cases operates. If you are ready to hire a nursing home abuse attorney for your case, contact Beltz & Beltz today.
