Important Signs Someone Is Mistreating Your Loved One
When a loved one enters a nursing home or skilled living facility, you trust the staff to provide quality care. The decision to leave your loved one in the care of strangers is never easy. Even after performing extensive research and receiving numerous referrals, all it takes is one employee to cause your loved one harm. If you discover that your loved one has suffered abuse, you may want to discuss your case with a personal injury attorney.
Common Types of Abuse
While it is hard for most people to comprehend anyone being unkind to the elderly, abuse is not only possible, but also not uncommon. Although not uncommon, it is difficult to estimate an accurate picture of the prevalence of elder abuse. Elder abuse is one of the most underreported problems in the United States. In addition, some forms of elder abuse may be difficult for family members to detect.
Some common forms of elder abuse include:
- Physical – A caregiver might use physical force to intimidate, control, or manipulate a loved one. Physical abuse may result from pushing, hitting, kicking, or pinching your loved one. All forms of physical elder abuse can result in serious harm, possible infections, and other health complications.
- Emotional – Harsh words can greatly affect an elderly loved one mentally and emotionally. Threats, intimidation, or actions such as isolating them from friends and family are common types of emotional abuse.
- Sexual – The elderly may be defenseless when it comes to sexual abuse. A caregiver may force them to view sexually explicit materials or sexually assault them.
- Neglect – Ignoring the daily needs of the elderly can result in neglect. Failing to regularly bathe a patient, or failing to provide proper meals or medications are all forms of neglect.
- Financial exploitation – If your loved one is some type of skilled living facility, they most likely require assistance with their finances. Financial exploitation of the elderly can involve caregivers, and often time involves family members who provide care.
When one thinks of abuse, the first thing that often comes to mind is physical abuse. However, other types of abuse that may be harder to recognize have equally devastating impacts. An awareness of the signs of all potential types of abuse is essential for the safety of your loved one.
Warning Signs
You know your loved one better than anyone. If you visit them and sense something isn’t quite right, trust your instincts. Don’t rely on your loved one to disclose their fears to you. Chances are, they are reluctant to report instances of abuse because they fear abuser retaliation. Watch for these signs and symptoms of possible abuse:
- Bruises, unexplained falls, scratches signaling possible physical abuse.
- Expressions of fear when a certain caregiver enters the room.
- Dirty clothes, unwashed hair, dehydration, or other symptoms of neglect.
- Changes in personality, such as depression or sadness, signaling possible sexual abuse.
- Unusual bank activity, missing valuables, or unexplained credit card charges.
If your loved one exhibits any one of these signs or symptoms, report the abuse immediately and seek medical attention. Notify the administrator of the facility and demand an investigation. Abuse that went unnoticed by supervisors will most likely continue either by the same abuser or another staff member. Consider moving your loved one to another facility as soon as possible, and contact a nursing home abuse lawyer for further advise about how to take further action.
If the administration fails to take corrective action, you should notify law enforcement and report abuse to the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services. Once you feel your loved one is protected from harm and receiving adequate care, you should consider pursuing a civil claim.
Nursing homes are very expensive and your loved one deserves quality care. Often, elderly care facilities experience a high turnover of employees. Inadequate training and limited supervision of caregivers place elderly patients at risk of experiencing abuse. Staffing issues are not your loved one’s fault, and abuse is never acceptable under any circumstances.
If a trusted caregiver harmed your loved one, physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially, or due to neglect, contact a personal injury lawyer. Discussing your case with an attorney may provide the peace-of-mind you need and the justice your loved one deserves.
Why You Need an Elder Abuse Lawyer
An insurance company representing the facility may offer you a settlement. Their initial offer is typically a low-dollar amount. The primary goal of insurance companies is to settle cases quickly to protect their best interests.
It is in your best interest—and that of your loved one—to consult an experienced attorney before you speak with them. Discovering that your loved one has suffered abuse is difficult, so you shouldn’t have to deal with aggressive insurance company representatives.
Moving your loved one to a new facility is often expensive. Finding the right facility with a great staff that is accepting new patients takes time. Moving your loved one may also include fees for special accommodations and other unexpected costs.
A personal injury lawyer can help you during this stressful time by serving as your legal representative. The right lawyer will have the experience and skills necessary to successfully negotiate a fair settlement. If they are unable to reach a fair settlement, an experienced attorney will be ready and willing to go to trial.
Reporting elder abuse is necessary to bring attention to the problem and protect your loved one and others from harm. An abuser may face criminal charges for their actions. However, a criminal case will not result in you or your loved one recovering compensation—that will require you or your loved one taking civil action.
Taking care of those who once took care of us is a great privilege. When their care requires more than we can provide, we trust nursing homes and other facilities to provide quality care. Abuse of this trust and the elderly demands accountability and justice.
You don’t have to handle this difficult time alone. Allowing a personal injury lawyer to handle the complexities of your case will enable you to focus on your loved one. The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim can expire if you don’t take action promptly. Schedule a free case evaluation to discuss your case with an attorney, so you may determine how you should proceed. An attorney can explain your loved one’s legal rights.
