When it comes to neglect and abuse in the nursing home setting, certain symptoms and signs are often present. Unfortunately, these signs may go unnoticed by visiting family members. With that occurs, neglect or abuse can go on for months or years.
Some of the most common symptoms and signs of nursing home neglect and abuse to look out for include:
- Vaginal discharge and bleeding – Discharge or bleeding surrounding a resident’s vaginal area may be a sign that sexual abuse is occurring.
- Mood swings – In many instances, nursing homes residents who are victims of abuse or neglect will become socially isolated and withdrawn. Moreover, they may be more hesitant to take part in activities that they formerly enjoyed. Residents may also appear socially disinterested and not willing to interact with others.
- Bruises and other marks on a nursing home resident’s body – When abuse or neglect is taking place in the nursing home setting, there will be bruises, abrasions, lacerations, cuts, or other marks on the resident’s body in many cases. If you observe any of these marks on your loved one’s body, but you are not aware that they sustained a recent injury, such an injury may be a sign that neglect or abuse is occurring. At other times, these marks may indicate that the resident fell recently, which could mean that the nursing home is not correctly cleaning or maintaining the facility regularly. This lack of attention to hygiene and safety by staff members can be another form of nursing home negligence.
- Pungent smells – Whenever there is an unpleasant smell in a resident’s room, the scent may be a sign that the nursing home is not properly maintaining the room or cleaning it regularly. The odor may also be a sign that nursing home staff are not bathing the resident or changing adult diapers regularly.
- Resident illnesses – If your loved one frequently comes down with unexpected illnesses, such instances may be signs they are not receiving the proper medication or that the facility is not a hygienic environment and not being appropriately maintained. When nursing facilities are unclean, residents can develop illnesses that they may not have otherwise contracted.
- Bedsores – A bedsore, which is also called a pressure ulcer, can appear when a resident is not being bathed regularly or turned properly (and regularly) in their bed or chair. Nursing home residents who must sit or lie down for long periods of time, including those individuals confined to a wheelchair or a bed, may experience bedsores. Your loved one developing a pressure ulcer may be a sign that the nursing facility is not maintained properly or that staff members are providing insufficient attention and care to the residents.
If you have a loved one residing in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home, and you are noticing any of the signs or symptoms listed above, abuse or neglect may be occurring. Speak with a knowledgeable Duluth nursing home negligence attorney at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC as soon as possible.
Our legal team can investigate these signs and symptoms to determine if the nursing home is being neglectful. If so, we can take legal action against the nursing home to pursue and recover damages on behalf of your ill or injured loved one.
