When visiting your loved one, look for any evidence of nursing home abuse and/or neglect, such as changes in health or appearance and emotional distress. Residents are less likely to suffer abuse and neglect when their family and friends live close by or visit frequently, while residents who rarely have visitors are more susceptible to abuse/neglect because they do not have the means to communicate their experiences.
Different Types of Abuse & Neglect in Nursing Homes
The 5 main types of nursing home abuse are:
- Physical abuse and violence
- Sexual abuse and assault
- Verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse
- Financial abuse
- General neglect
Common types of nursing home neglect include:
- Emotional or social neglect
- Basic needs neglect
- Personal hygiene neglect
- Medical neglect
Signs of Physical Abuse
Whether its child abuse or animal abuse, most people automatically have physical abuse in mind. This form of abuse is prevalent in a variety of settings, especially nursing homes. Many victims who suffer physical abuse at such facilities are unable to speak up or defend themselves, leaving them vulnerable to mistreatment from nursing home staff. It is imperative for family members to recognize the signs of physical abuse and obtain the damages and justice their abused loved one deserves.
At Cunningham Bounds, our Mobile lawyers are committed to protecting the lives and rights of your loved ones who are suffering physical abuse at nursing homes. Not only are we dedicated to helping you and your family member obtain justice, but we also want to ensure this type of violent behavior stops once and for all to prevent others from suffering.
Types of Elder Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is defined as the use of physical force or violence which results in great bodily harm, pain, injury, or impairment to a victim. The majority of physical abuse is committed by nursing home staff and caregivers. Intentional physical abuse is caused out of frustration, while unintentional abuse occurs due to understaffed facilities and lack of sufficient training. Furthermore, physical abuse can come from other residents while staff and family aren’t around, or even from visiting family members.
Common types of physical abuse at nursing homes include:
- Hitting, kicking, or pushing a resident
- Physically restraining a resident against his/her will in an inappropriate manner
- Tossing a resident onto his/her bed, wheelchair, or any other type of furniture
- Burning a resident
- Failing to provide a resident with immediate medical care when required
- Force feeding a resident
- Threatening a resident
Physical abuse can be easily spotted. If you suspect your loved one is being physically abused, look for any physical signs such as bruising, lacerations, and other injuries. Unexplained weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration are other indicators. Keep an eye out for any nursing home staff members who refuse to leave the patient alone with family.
Signs of Financial Abuse
There are a variety of ways nursing home residents fall victim to abuse. While the most notable are physical abuse and neglect, financial abuse can be just as harmful. This type of abuse results in unauthorized or coerced use of a resident’s finances or identity, causing insurmountable debt and compromising his/her ability to continue receiving medical care. The victims do not suffer any physical or emotional injury, but rather unknowingly suffer serious financial ruin.
If you suspect a loved one has become a victim of financial abuse in a nursing home, our Mobile nursing home abuse lawyers at Cunningham Bounds can help you put a stop to the misconduct and hold the abuser liable for his/her actions. We understand the devastating impact financial exploitation has on families, which is why we are committed to helping your loved one recover their entitled compensation.
Types of Financial Abuse in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents can suffer financial exploitation in a number of ways. The perpetrators of financial abuse are often those who have immediate access to the individual and their finances.
For example, a nursing home staff member manipulates a resident into giving him/her money or control of his/her finances. In other cases, family members, lawyers, bankers, and other parties who residents rely on for care and protection can also easily take advantage.
The long-term impact of financial abuse typically results in worsening health conditions, since victims do not have the financial means available to pay for adequate health care services.
What Are the Most Common Types of Financial Abuse?
Common types of financial abuse include the following:
- Theft of money or valuables
- Cashing a resident’s check without his/her consent
- Coercing a resident into transferring assets despite their health condition
- Coercing a resident into signing documents he/she couldn’t understand
- Identity theft
- Getting a resident involved in a scam
So, if you notice any substantial bank withdrawals, questionable sales of property, restricted contact, or new acquaintances who are seen frequently -- these are all common signs of financial abuse. You will need to prove that your loved one has been coerced or manipulated into giving an abuser unconsented access to his/her finances.
Signs of Psychological Abuse
Psychological abuse is the most common and pervasive type of mistreatment in nursing homes throughout the country. Unlike physical abuse, emotional or mental abuse does not result in physical injury or evidence, which is why it is often difficult to track and report. The bottom line is that nursing home residents should receive proper care and be treated with the utmost respect, and failure to do so, may result in a valid legal claim.
Types of Psychological Abuse
Psychological abuse is an intent to cause fear, anguish, humiliation, and distress through verbal or non-verbal conduct. When an elderly resident suffers emotional anguish, they may feel afraid, sad, agitated, and nervous.
Verbal abuse is the most common form of psychological abuse, which includes bullying, making rude remarks, yelling insults, criticizing the resident, or making threats. Nursing home staff members who are frustrated or impatient often resort to verbal abuse. Such abuse can result in significant emotional injury and stress, which can weaken a resident’s immune system and leave them vulnerable to illness.
Non-verbal abuse is more difficult to detect, but just as damaging as its verbal counterpart, making residents feel alone, afraid, and completely helpless. Common examples of non-verbal abuse include ignoring the resident, giving the resident the silent treatment, isolating the resident from others, restricting access to food and water, and treating the resident as if he/she were a minor child.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
When you move your elderly loved one into a nursing home, you expect the caregivers and staff members to provide care and treat him/her with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, there are many cases where nursing home residents are subjected to nursing home abuse, which includes sexual abuse.
Elderly individuals are extremely vulnerable to sexual predators because they are defenseless, physically weak, or have suffered a medical condition which caused them to lose their ability to speak or move independently.
Signs of Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes
Sexual abuse is non-consensual sexual contact, which includes: rape, sodomy, inappropriate or unwanted touching, sexual coercion, sexual harassment, and being photographed in a sexual manner.
Nursing home residents who are too frail, ill, or mentally/physically incapacitated to provide consent are often victims of sexual abuse. They can be sexually abused by nursing home staff members, other residents, or even family members.
The following are common signs of sexual abuse in a nursing home:
- Unexplained blood stains on bed sheets or clothing
- Bleeding and bruising in the genital areas, breasts, and inner thighs
- Torn, bloody, or stained underclothing
- Unexplained sexually transmitted disease or infection
- Pain when sitting down that wasn’t present before
- Fear, anxiety, and stress when a specific person is around, such as a staff member, another resident, or an acquaintance
- Depression and withdrawal
If you suspect your loved one is being sexually abused, immediately call the police and gather evidence to support your claims, which is also beneficial for the corresponding investigation. Our Mobile nursing home abuse lawyers can discuss your legal options and develop an effective plan to recover monetary damages on behalf of your family.
Speak with a Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyer in Mobile Today
Malpractice, elder abuse, and neglect in a nursing home setting can be challenging to prove. Injuries can be masked as pressure sores or falls. To make matters even more complicated, a victim may not be in a position to speak for himself or herself. For these reasons, it is extremely important that you work with a lawyer who is experienced in these cases.
Our Mobile attorneys can hold the nursing home and its staff accountable for their abusive actions and negligent inactions if they fail to provide a safe environment for your loved one, fail to maintain proper health and safety policies, or fail to offer standard medical care. Let us help you stop the mistreatment, abuse, and neglect for good.
Call (251) 299-0101 to request a free consultation with a dedicated nursing home abuse and neglect attorney.
