Nursing home abuse and neglect can appear in many ways, and can include physical abuse or neglect, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, or financial abuse. Nursing home residents are some of the most vulnerable given that they are fragile and frail. Also, they often have certain neurocognitive medical conditions resulting in the inability to understand their neglect or abuse. While some forms of abuse or neglect appear clear, such as physical markings or injuries, in other cases the abuse or neglect was not quite as evident.
However, in many cases, where nursing home residents suffer abuse or neglect, the nursing home staff will behave strangely or inappropriately, causing suspicion. If you feel your elderly loved one suffered from any kind of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, and the staff is acting in a strange manner or behaving inappropriately, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, and we may be able to help you and your family receive justice.
Types of Elder Abuse and Neglect
Unfortunately, there are several ways that elderly nursing home residents suffer either neglect or abuse. With nursing home residents remaining vulnerable to the nursing home staff and depending upon them for their daily needs, abuse and neglect can easily occur. The following are some types of examples of elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes. If you suspect that your elderly loved one suffered any kind of abuse or neglect after reading this, contact our legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We can help you with your next steps and you will be able to learn how a Tulsa odd actions on the part of the staff lawyer can help your family.
Physical Abuse and Neglect
According to research published in the National Institutes of Health, physical abuse of the elderly in nursing homes remains widespread throughout the United States. Senior residents of nursing homes simply do not have the physical ability to defend themselves or prevent certain types of neglect or abuse. In some cases, physical abuse is overt through hitting, punching, kicking, burning, or slapping. In other cases, physical abuse occurs through the restraint of an elderly resident in an effort to obtain compliance. Physical neglect can include the failure to reposition residents who are bedridden, resulting in serious bedsores which can be medically dangerous or even cause death. Physical neglect can also include the following:
- Failure to provide appropriate medications at the proper times
- Failure to provide correct nutrition or help with eating
- Failure to provide hydration
- Failure to provide assistance to elderly residents requiring help with daily hygiene or going to the bathroom
Emotional Abuse and Neglect
Physical abuse and neglect are not the only ways that vulnerable nursing home residents can suffer from poor treatment. Due to understaffing of nursing homes, or the failure to provide proper training, many nursing home staff members will become frustrated with elderly residents, especially those with neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. As a result, these vulnerable seniors are unable to defend themselves against emotional abuse such as yelling, de-rating, shaming, mocking, insulting, or other types of abusive language.
Emotional abuse or neglect is equally as serious and can cause just as much severe damage as physical abuse or neglect. These elderly residents become increasingly fearful and may ultimately suffer both emotional and physical issues, as well as a decline in their overall health as a result of emotional abuse or neglect.
Sexual Abuse
Research compiled by the National Center on Elder Abuse details that sexual abuse against seniors remains widespread. Again, because these elderly residents are vulnerable and unable to physically resist these types of attacks, they are an easy target for those who would seek to abuse them in this way. Additionally, because many elderly residents suffer from either Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, they may remain confused during the abuse or fail to remember the sexual attack altogether.
Financial Abuse
Another type of abuse inflicted upon residents of nursing homes, is financial abuse. Anytime a nursing home employee takes money or personal items, deals documents resulting in identity theft, or manipulates an elderly person into changing their estate planning documents, it is a representation of financial abuse. In some cases, this can financially devastate not only the elderly resident, but also the entire family.
Examples of Odd Actions on the Part of the Nursing Home Staff
If you are a family member of a nursing home resident, you should always examine them for any type of physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse or neglect every time you visit. Check to see if there are any new injuries, unusual behavior, or missing money or personal items. Additionally, one of the ways to determine if your loved one suffered any type of abuse or neglect in a nursing home is to pay careful attention to the nursing home and management. Some examples of odd actions and strange behavior on the part of the staff that may indicate abuse or neglect include the following:
- Failure to allow access to your loved one at any time
- Failure to inform you when your loved one suffered an injury, or required transportation to the hospital
- Failure to allow phone calls to your loved one during a specific time
- Failure to contact you if there is an emergency, such as your loved one eloping from the hospital or developing an infection or other medical condition
- Failure to provide a report regarding instances of abuse or neglect as required under state or federal law
- Failure to provide answers as requested regarding a specific incident or unexplained medical condition for which there are no answers
- Failure to provide cooperate with an investigation surrounding any type of physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse or neglect
- A constant appearance of understaffing at the nursing home, or a general sense of overwhelm or exhaustion by nursing home employees
- An attempt to dismiss or cover up any possible elder abuse or neglect
- An inability to visit with nursing home management regarding any concerns about your elderly loved one
For a free legal consultation with a Tulsa Odd Actions on the Part of the Staff Lawyer serving Tulsa, call (800) 794-0444
A Tulsa Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Can Help
If your elderly loved one suffered any kind of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, consider contacting our legal team for free at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We may be able to hold the nursing home and staff accountable and help your family receive a financial award. Call for your free consultation today.
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