Sunday, August 15, 2010

Abuse in Nursing Homes

Many elderly individuals suffer abuse in their nursing homes each year. Unfortunately, many of these instances go unreported by the abuse victims for numerous reasons. As a result, these actions are allowed to continue.
In many cases, it is up to the families of abused elderly individuals to end abuse. Patients in these homes may not report instances of abuse for fear of repercussions or because of physical inability. As such, families should look for signs of abuse in their loved ones.
Abuse can come in many forms, including physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual. Each may present its own unique symptoms, but suffers of all forms of abuse usually have some symptoms in common, including:
· Emotional distancing
· Unexplained changes in health
· Constantly seeming fearful
Any of these signs may point to abuse, though it is important to look for additional signs associated with specific types of abuse before jumping to conclusions. These additional signs may include unexplained bruising or cuts or sudden mood swings.

Additionally, families may be able to determine instances of abuse by talking to nursing home attendants. If attendants cannot explain how the family's loved one suffered a certain injury or why he or she is behaving differently, this may be a sign of abuse.
Families who suspect abuse should first try to contact nursing home administrators to solve the problem. If the problem continues, then families should call legal authorities to further investigate the matters in addition to pulling their loved ones out of the homes.
If your loved one has suffered abuse of any form in his or her nursing home, discuss your legal options with the Phoenix nursing home abuseattorneys of Haralson, Miller, Feldman, Pitt & McAnally, P.L.C. Your family may be entitled to financial compensation.

No comments:

Post a Comment