Psychological damages are not easily noticeable in the elderly, which is why you want to keep an eye out for the signs. Psychological abuse takes a mental toll on victims, as they can face constant fear or can feel threatened.
If you suspect that a loved one is facing psychological damage, it is important to contact a lawyer who specializes in elder abuse cases. A lawyer can help you identify the signs of psychological damage, and they can help defend you and your family.
Noticing the Signs of Psychological Damage
The signs of psychological damage will not always be easily detectable, although understanding the impact of trauma is important. You may not see scars or physical damage in victims, but these damages can cause seniors to live in fear and uneasiness. At the root of psychological damage to elders is mental suffering. Unless the elder is open to loved ones or nurses about psychological damage, it can be hard to notice the signs.
It is important to note that the signs of these damages do not necessarily provide you or your lawyer with proof. If anything, these signs should influence loved ones to consider an elder’s living situation and any medical professionals or nurses that care for them.
When trying to identify the signs of psychological damages, you can start by reviewing your loved one’s normal body language and traditions. You should then consider your loved one’s behavior. If you’re starting to notice gradual depression or reluctance to speak, your loved one could be facing psychological damage. Some other general signs of elder psychological damage could include:
- Less energy or motivation.
- Isolation from family or friends.
- Inability to make direct eye contact with nurses or doctors.
- Poor sleeping or eating habits.
- Increased confusion.
Another key sign of psychological damage is increased anxiety or discomfort around certain caregivers. For instance, if your loved one is being cared for in a nursing home, their nurses might be triggering your loved one’s psychological damage.
Sometimes, caregivers can abuse their power and make elders feel poorly about themselves and belittle them. Their aggressiveness toward seniors can trigger psychological damages while dehumanizing them. These types of caregivers might act uninterested in their patients or could act defensively toward them.
If you are beginning to notice these signs in caregivers that are supposed to protect and support your loved ones, it is time to contact an elder law firm for help. Lawyers will help you identify more signs of psychological damages, and they can begin communicating with the nursing home to determine who is at fault for these damages.
How an Attorney Can Fight Psychological Damages
While we hope emotional and psychological abuse are not being inflicted on your loved ones, there are options for family members that suspect mistreatment at nursing homes.
Once you notice the signs of psychological damages, it is time to report the incident to the facility your loved one lives in and to connect with an attorney. First, explain the situation and your loved one’s changes in behavior to the nursing facility and file a complaint with them. You can also contact Adult Protective Services, where you can call offices in every state. After you have called them, the Adult Protective Services will evaluate your case and determine if they should also investigate the situation in regard to the state’s elder abuse laws.
From there, a nursing home abuse attorney can manage your case and ensure the complaint reaches the state level. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we focus our practice on a variety of nursing home abuses to the elderly, including, but not limited to:
- Malnutrition.
- Emotional Abuse.
- Choking.
- Medication Errors.
- Sexual Abuse.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will fight for those that cannot defend themselves, and they will stand by you and your family along the way. Over the years and across the country, our law firm helps families just like yours during difficult elder abuse cases.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to learn more about elder abuse and our team of nursing home abuse attorneys. We can gather evidence, communicate with the nursing facility, and contact government agencies such as Adult Protective Services. Contact us online 24/7 to begin your free case evaluation.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-934-6555
Elements of Preventing Psychological Damages
Preventing psychological damages can be just as difficult as noticing the signs of its effects on our loved ones. In some cases, families could work through several state agencies and even law enforcement to address psychological damages in elders. The caregivers that assist our loved ones may unintentionally cause psychological damages. That is why it is important to conduct as much research as possible into the nursing facility before your loved one begins to live there. Start by reading into referrals and communicating with the nursing facility on your potential concerns regarding psychological or emotional damages.
Once you have started to investigate the nursing home you are comfortable with for your loved one to live in, begin to reach out to their current caregivers. Explain to them concerns about psychological damages before they can ever arise. Yet, if you ever do encounter these psychological damages in your loved one, you can rely on Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to defend you and your family.
Reach Out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
Elder abuse is all too common in this country. Thankfully, the nursing home abuse attorneys of Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will travel to meet your needs when your loved one faces psychological damages. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, there are no fees until your family receives a financial award. Call us to start your free, no-obligation consultation.
Call or text 800-934-6555 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form