Nursing Home Abuse - Signs and Symptoms

Elder Abuse is a hidden problem and few people feel comfortable talking about it. In fact, abused seniors and care dependent individuals often refuse to report abuse. When they do, they may be called demanding, confused or senile. As a family member, you may not recognize the signs of physical or psychological abuse because such signs may sometimes also occur as a part of other medical conditions suffered by the elderly or infirm. You may not even realize that abuse has occurred until after a loved one as died.

If abuse has occurred and/or the nursing home failed to administer care in a professional and compassionate manner, and you or your loved one has suffered as a result, you may be entitled to compensation. The federal government and each state protect the elderly from abuse by providing a legal cause of action against the abusers.

The following list contains signs of potential nursing home abuse. Some are obvious. Others are not. If you notice any of these symptoms, take action. If you suspect that you or someone you love has suffered from nursing home abuse including negligence or types of elder abuse, contact an attorney with experience in elder abuse as soon as possible. You should act promptly to protect your rights because certain time limitations may apply to prevent you from filing your claim. However, you should not assume that you won’t be able to bring a claim because your elderly love one has died. At the Blackman Legal Group we know the laws regarding elder and nursing home abuse and we have years of experience pursing those who fail to meet their legal duty to provide caring, compassionate care to the elderly.

Signs of Potential Nursing Home Abuse & Negligence

• Skin problems and/or infections like Bed Sores or Pressure Sores (also known as Decubitus Ulcers), redness, bruises or tears in dry, flaky skin
• Questionable medication practices—withholding medications or over-medicating patients
• Excessive and/or unexplained falls
• Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss
• Poor resident oral and personal hygiene (e.g., unclean hair, infrequent bathing)
• Unclean nursing home conditions (dirty patient care rooms, bathrooms or common areas, dirty or soiled bed linen, foul odors in care rooms)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Wandering off and dementia related injuries
• Improper use and/or overuse of physical restraints and restraint injuries
• Sudden changes in patient behavior, such as emotional upset or agitation or patient becoming extremely withdrawn or non-communicative
• Unusual behavior (sucking, biting or rocking)
• Inadequate staffing or non-responsive staff
• Requests for changes are ignored by the nursing home staff
• Care plan meetings are not held or the family is not notified
• Lack of notice from staff about any injuries, physical or mental conditions suffered by the elderly person

There is no single cause of elderly abuse. Many factors may lead to inadequate care and abuse, including stress and the lack of understanding of the changing needs and roles of the elderly, even when given by professional providers. No one should jump to conclusions, but signs and symptoms should be taken seriously. What sometimes seems to be self-neglect or a medical condition may turn out to be abuse of the elderly. Elderly abuse does not happen in every nursing home, hospital or home. But when it does happen, even a single case of abuse is one too many.

If the symptoms are serious and life threatening or no changes have been made in response to your notifying the nursing home staff of problems, take action immediately. Call 911 to remove your loved one from the facility.

The next important step is to contact an attorney with experience in elder abuse. At the Blackman Legal Group we have spent years protecting the legal rights of the elderly and others who require assisted living. We stand ready to provide justice for damages suffered when a nursing home or other care facility violates the special duties of care and protection entrusted to them.