Typically, there are many warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. Keep in mind that it’s essential to always trust your instincts. If something seems off with your family member, don’t hesitate to act. If you learn that they’re suddenly ill or have a serious, unexplained medical issue, ensure they get medical care immediately. Then, reach out to our law firm. We will help you every step of the way. We can evaluate your potential legal case at no cost and explain all the legal options available to you during this difficult time.
The warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect include:
- Unexplained injuries: This is one of the most common signs of Gwinnett County nursing home abuse nationwide. A broken arm, fractured hip, or another severe injury might result from nursing home employee abuse or a failure to supervise your family member. We can investigate what happened and help you hold the nursing home and its staff members accountable for their actions.
- Sudden weight loss: This could be a sign that the nursing home is not feeding a resident enough or due to some problem at the nursing home. Sudden weight loss might be related to diarrhea, an infection, or other medical issues that need attention.
- Unexplained bruises: Abusive nursing home employees often bruise residents’ arms, body, and face. Such unexplained bruises could also be from a violent, fellow nursing home resident. In either case, nursing homes should be held responsible for their actions. Nursing homes are obligated to carefully select whom they hire to work for them. In addition, they need to properly screen residents to make sure they don’t permit someone dangerous or violent to reside there.
- Sudden mood changes: Unexplained mood changes in your loved one could be another warning sign to heed. They might seem more withdrawn, get angry more easily, cry more often, appear depressed, or talk noticeably less than usual. Any of these sudden mood changes mean they are being abused or neglected in their nursing home. Speak to your loved one about what might be going on, and then talk to us to learn more about your legal rights.
- Unexplained infections: Unsanitary conditions in a nursing home can often result in infections of many types, such as viral illness, skin infections, and urinary tract infections. Unfortunately, the conditions that can cause an infection are often present due to neglect and understaffing. It should go without saying that nursing homes need to be cleaned regularly, including changing the bedding and ensuring that residents receive regular baths, assistance with grooming and personal hygiene and that they’re wearing clean clothes. If not, they can develop severe and deadly infections.
- Change in finances: Nursing home neglect and abuse don’t stop with physical or emotional mistreatment. It can also include financial abuse. Suppose you start to notice unexplained bills, missing checks, double billing, or bills for services not rendered to your loved one. In that case, the nursing home might be exploiting vulnerable residents. They aren’t as aware of their finances and their financial situation as others outside of the nursing home. It’s imperative to act fast if you notice any unusual financial transactions or sudden changes in your loved one’s financial circumstances. First, reach out to your local law enforcement agency and then to us. We will help you stand up for your loved one’s financial rights and well-being.
- Restricted visits: Nursing home residents who are suffering from abuse and neglect may suddenly have their visitors restricted. Staff may be attempting to avert you from picking up on any of these signs that you might notice if you are physically present. As such, they might try to prevent you from visiting the nursing facility. Unexpectedly, visiting hours at the facility might be diminished or canceled altogether. If the nursing home refuses to permit you to visit your loved one, contact our law firm. We can get to the bottom of what is going on and help you with your next steps.
Other signs of abuse and neglect that nursing home residents might show include:
- Bedsores or pressure ulcers
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Falls
- Head injuries
- Instances of wandering or elopement
- Not wanting to engage verbally with family members or friends when nursing home staff members are around
- Unexplained injuries in various stages of healing such as bruises, skin tears, or broken bones
- The unexplained or unexpected death of the resident
- Unexplained weight loss
- Obviously unsanitary and unclean conditions in the resident’s room or throughout the entire facility
- Unusual or sudden changes in behavior, such as biting, fear of being touched, rocking, sucking
Don’t overlook these signs, no matter how minor they might seem. Taking note of any changes and acting accordingly could save your loved one’s life or even the life of another vulnerable resident who cannot speak for themselves under the circumstances.
