Intervening If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

Realizing that abuse may be happening to a loved one living in a nursing home can be a difficult thing to process. If you were someone who placed your senior relative into a certain facility, only to find out that they are not being treated as they should be, you may be understandably distraught and unsure of what to do next. Nursing home abuse lawyers can intervene to protect your relative, hold the offenders accountable, and see to it that restitution is fairly awarded.

It's sad to say that nursing home abuse happens more often than people want to think. In fact, approximately one in every ten Americans have experienced elder abuse. Some estimates predict that millions of elderly people are mistreated each and every year, and emotional abuse being the most common. A senior resident may be exploited financially, have their care neglected, or violated sexually by doctors, staff, or other residents. It is important for family members to understand the signs so they can take action for a loved one who is the victim of nursing home abuse. If you notice the following, then it is imperative that you intervene now:

• Withdrawn demeanor
• Isolating themselves
• Refusing help from specific staff
• Sudden change in personality
• Seeming hesitant to speak openly
• Appears scared, nervous, or irritable
• Refuses to take medications or eat
• Not sleeping well or too much

When getting help from a lawyer, they are going to need as much evidence as possible. It may sound stressful to initiate a legal dispute, however, this is the best route to obtaining compensation so that the victim and family obtain justice for everything they have been through. People who act without regard for others or are intentionally harmful should be held accountable for their actions. During the lawsuit, your lawyer can show that:

• The nursing home facility owed a legal duty of care to the resident
• The nursing home staff or doctors have harmed the resident through purposeful acts or negligence
• The resident suffered long-term or severe injuries due to the incident
• The resident and family need monetary compensation for recovery

Similar to what our elder law lawyer friends from Kaplan Law Practice, LLC would advise, anyone who suspects their senior loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse should intervene immediately to prevent the victim from experiencing further acts of negligence or malice.