What to Do When You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

What to Do When You Suspect Nursing Home AbuseWhen the time comes to relocate an aging loved one to a senior living facility, some family caregivers are hesitant to pass along daily caregiving responsibilities to retirement home staff. Others are more than ready for the weight of managing their loved one’s health to be lifted of their shoulders. In either case, nursing and retirement home staff stand to benefit from your choice to move your aging loved one into their facility, and they will make an effort to persuade you of their competency, qualifications, and dedication to your senior’s wellbeing.

What to Look for When Visiting Your Senior in a Nursing Home

Keep in mind that you are still your senior’s best and most critical advocate, despite their new residence. Even if you are confident they will receive high quality care in their senior living facility, you must keep an eye out for symptoms of neglect and abuse. Nursing home abuses are committed by the staff who are legally obligated to care for them, which lowers the incentive for reporting accidents, instances of oversight or neglect, and symptoms of inadequate care. When you visit your senior, look out for these signs of nursing home abuse:

  • Displays of agitation, irritation, or other strong, negative emotions
  • Social and emotional withdrawal
  • Infections that result from poor hygiene, such as UTIs, yeast infections, etc.
  • Significant weight loss or weight gain
  • Unexplained bruises, sores, skin tears, or other injuries
  • Odd new behaviors, such as non-communication, rocking back and forth, sucking or chewing on things, etc.
  • Unwillingness to speak or interact with staff members
  • Unacceptably dirty or unkempt living conditions
  • Serious injuries such as those involving broken bones, hospitalization, slips and falls, etc.
  • Death of a resident without acceptable explanation

How to Respond to Elder AbuseNew Title

If you suspect your loved one and their follow residents are experiencing abuse in a nursing facility, retirement home, or as a part of another elder care program, there are a few things you must do immediately:

  • If you see a problem that may not necessarily be abuse, first discuss the issue at hand (infections, cleanliness, new symptoms or issues, etc.) with the nurses, CNAs, and nursing home staff charged with caring for your loved one.
  • If you are certain your loved one has been or is being abused by nursing home staff through deliberate action or sheer negligence, file a complaint with the South Carolina Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which exists to ensure seniors receive adequate care in long-term senior living settings.
  • Get in touch with your loved one’s primary care provider (unless they are directly involved in the abuse), and discuss the details of the abuse.
  • If your loved one is currently in danger of recurring abuse or requires immediate medical attention, call 911 right away.
  • Call an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer.

Knowledgeable Legal Counsel for Caregivers and Victims of Nursing Home Abuse

Your loved one needs you more than ever during the aftermath of nursing home abuse. By bringing Christian & Christian onto your team, you can delegate the legal hassle of filing a lawsuit to our team of experienced nursing home abuse attorneys. We know what it takes to hold nursing homes and elder care providers accountable for harming seniors through abuse and negligence. We also know you will likely incur significant expenses when repairing the physical and emotional damage that result from nursing home abuse and are committed to helping you recover the compensation you deserve.

You first consultation is on us. Call (864) 408-8883 or contact us online to speak to a member of our team right away.

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