Nursing Home Abuse Help:

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

There is a wide range of categories, indications, and levels of abuse that occurs in residences for the elderly and nursing homes. If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, fill out our free case evaluation form today to speak with nursing home abuse attorney.

Nursing Home Neglect

General neglect by a nursing home caretaker or someone who has guardianship of a senior is the most common type of nursing home abuse. Neglect happens when a nursing home staff member or affiliated medical professional does not meet the expectations of the resident. Examples of nursing home neglect include general care, bathroom duties, and financial neglect, or not paying bills. Serious nursing home neglect occurs when a staff member deprives residents of the proper essentials like food, water, shelter, hygiene, medication, safety, and any additional features that the resident can't live without including:

Satisfactory sanitary bodily conditions or attire.
Appropriate medical treatment, prescriptions, and physical or mental therapy (unless the resident refuses any of these services).
Monitoring a resident's wellbeing and safety.

Physical Warning Signs of Neglect

Lesions or rashes on the skin
Stench of urine or feces on a resident's body, in their living quarters, or other frequented areas
Safety and/or health risks in the resident's living area
Medical problem that has been ignored
Visible malnourishment
Noticeable dehydration
Improper dress

Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

Physical abuse by a nursing home staff member or an individual with custody of an elder is the second most common form of nursing home abuse. The definition of physical abuse differs depending on the state and authority in a particular region. Physical abuse takes place when a person uses force to cause bodily harm, pain, and suffering to a senior. The following are examples of nursing home physical abuse:

Hitting
Pushing or shoving
Burning
Slapping
Kicking
Improperly restraining
Restraining for a long period of time
Unnecessary or overly drugging
Coercing residents to consume food or drinks
Denying residents of food or drinks

Evidence of Physical Abuse in Nursing Home Residents

Marks, swelling, or bruising on the face or body
Bedsores (pressure sores and skin, decubitus, dermal, and pressure ulcers)
Puncture wounds, scrapes, scratches, lacerations
Resident appears uneasy when a certain staff member is in the room
Resident is hesitant to explain marks, bruises, etc.
Soiled clothes, bedding, or living quarters
Failure of staff to address medical conditions
Medical issues that do not coincide with resident's prior health records
Burns on body from cigarettes, ropes, restraints, etc.
Considerable weight loss (not attributed to illness)
Dehydration (not attributed to illness)
Malnutrition
Excessive skin irritation
Bleeding beneath scalp

Nursing Home Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is quite possibly the most deplorable act that any nursing home employee or caretaker can be associated with. Nursing home sexual abuse arises when someone participates in a sexual act with a resident in which the elder did not give consent. Sometimes, the resident is incapable of communicating, and a staff member will take advantage of them. This is also considered sexual abuse. Some common examples of sexual nursing home abuse include:

Forced sex
Forced nudity
Suggestive touching
Rape
Sodomy
Sexual assault/battery
Taking sexually explicit pictures
Pornography

Evidence of Nursing Home Sexual Abuse

Inappropriate affectionate behavior displayed by a staff member
Flirty or coy behavior around a certain resident

Psychological Abuse in Nursing Homes

When a caretaker knowingly causes a resident emotional torment through verbal or nonverbal behavior, this is considered psychological abuse. Here are some examples of nursing home psychological abuse:

Verbal unpleasantries
Bullying
Physical threats
Sexual threats
Degradation
Harassment
Isolation from friends and family
Silent treatment
Babying

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Psychological Abuse

Bewilderment
Unprovoked rage
Depression
Frantic behavior
Abnormal quietness
Vulnerability
Unwillingness to speak candidly
Questionable storytelling
Denial
Panic
Withdrawal

Desertion in Nursing Homes

If a caretaker chooses to abandon an individual in an instance when any sensible person would continue overseeing them, it is known as desertion. During this act of abandonment, the elder is deprived of necessities like food, water, materials necessary to maintain hygiene, etc.

Signs of Desertion

Resident appears baffled and alone at their residence or somewhere in public
Resident claims the caretaker left them to fend for themselves

Financial Abuse of Nursing Home Residents

When the person responsible for monitoring an elder's spending habits exploits their position through the misappropriation of funds, property, or other assets, this is viewed as financial abuse. Some examples include:

Tardy bill payments
Using funds or property for their own benefit
Cashing checks without consent from the owner
Forging signatures to gain access to funds or possessions
Taking advantage of their power of attorney for personal advancement
Tricking a resident into signing a will, contract, or other legal document.

Evidence of Financial Abuse

Resident has no involvement in their finances to the point that they have no idea how their money is being utilized
Resident's rent or other monthly bills are past due
Resident's appearance and personal belongings do not correspond with financial status
Improper usage of bank accounts
Signatures on checks do not match resident's, or checks are signed when it is a known fact that person is incapable of writing
Changes made to resident's will when that person does not have the mental capacity to make choices of this magnitude
Caretaker believes too much money is being spent on resident's care and services

Evidence of Nursing Home Staff Abuse

The following list includes signs that a nursing home employee may be neglecting, mistreating, or providing subpar care to residents. The caretaker:

Displays obvious dislike towards residents
Bars residents from visiting fellow residents or speaking without a caretaker being present
Demonstrates antagonistic behavior aimed at residents
Has abused residents in the past
Has history of drug and alcohol addiction
Deliberately fails to be present during activities with residents
Exhibits hostility towards residents
Files injury reports that don't coincide with residents'
Becomes defensive when confronted about offensive behavior
Attempts to quarantine resident
Is hesitant to offer residents assistance of any kind, including medical

If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, it is important to contact a nursing home abuse attorney immediately. Our nursing home abuse attorneys serve those in Florida and nationwide to ensure nursing home residents receive proper compensation for their suffering and remain free from any further abuse. Contact our nursing home neglect attorneys today to get legal help to end the abuse.