Nursing Home Abuse Warning Signs

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse in nursing homes is a horrendous crime but will generally leave more evidence to help bring the abuser to justice. If a senior suffers a fracture or a broken bone without any explanation, there is a possibility that they have been abused. Beyond any breaks or fractures, if a senior has marks or bruises on their body that show up consistently in various places, it could mean physical abuse. While one bruise may not be indicative of a pattern of abuse, consistent bruising will be a sign of physical mistreatment. Unexplained injuries are a compelling sign that the resident is being physically abused.

Other signs that you can keep an eye out for include:

• Visible marks on wrists that could indicate restraints being used. 
• Numerous instances of broken personal items. 
• A caregiver who does not allow you to be alone with your loved one. 

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse in a nursing home can be just as devastating to your loved one as physical abuse and is much easier for the abuser to hide. Some signs of emotional abuse could be:

• Unusual changes in their behavior or sudden intensifying of dementia symptoms. 
• Self-soothing behaviors such as mumbling, thumb sucking or rocking. 
• Belittling or threatening behavior on the part of the caregiver, including being controlling, demeaning or verballing abusive. 

Sexual Abuse

Sometimes patients in nursing care facilities are sexually abused, as they are generally not physically capable of resisting against a much younger and physically fit person. Some signs of sexual abuse in the elderly could be:

• Unexplained STDs or infections.
• Bruising around the genitals or breasts.
• Vaginal or anal bleeding that may leave bloodstains on articles of clothing.
• Symptoms of post-traumatic stress such as hyper-alertness, emotional numbness, avoidance of activities or people once enjoyed, difficulty sleeping, being excessively irritable, and easily angered. 

Financial Abuse

Residents may also experience nursing home financial abuse. You may notice unexplained withdrawals from your loved one’s bank account, sudden changes in their finances, or missing cash. Examples of financial abuse include:

• Cashing a resident’s income checks
• The forgery of a signature
• Outright theft of a resident’s personal possessions
• Using deception or manipulation to obtain a resident’s signature
• Unethical use of guardianship or the power of attorney

Elder Neglect

Neglecting patients in need of care is also considered nursing home abuse, as that means that the caregivers are not doing their job and that the care at the nursing home is substandard. Seniors may be unkempt and dirty when they are not receiving the care that they should and when staff are not assisting them with the activities of daily life. While elder neglect is a form of abuse, mistreatment is rarely limited to just one area. Some signs of nursing home negligence could be:

• Unsuitable living conditions such as a dirty or unsanitary environment, no heating or cooling in uncomfortable temperatures, or bug infestation problems. 
• Not being moved enough in bed and developing bedsores. 
• Dehydration or starvation signs, such as severe weight loss, very dark urine, very dry skin, sunken eyes, dizziness, or fainting. 
• Not adequately dressed for the weather conditions, or offered the chance to go outside or socialize. 

One factor that needs to be watched closely is the staff that deals with the seniors at a nursing home. While some may maintain a pleasant facade when family members are around, others simply cannot hide their true nature if they are the type that will abuse the elderly. Staff members who are brusque or rough with nursing home residents may be more abusive when nobody is looking. Any controlling or menacing behavior on the part of staff members may be a sign that something is amiss. In addition, if a loved one seems visibly afraid when a certain staff member is present, that is an indication that the staff member is not treating the senior properly. If they are shaking or mumbling to themselves when that staff member appears, that is a strong sign of possible abuse.

While nursing homes have multiple layers of regulations that govern how they hire and supervise their employees, every so often, they will hire someone with a violent background. Alternatively, nursing homes may be understaffed since the facility’s owners wish to maximize their profits at the expense of resident care. When that happens, staff members may become agitated and take their frustrations out on the residents. Whatever the reason, nursing home abuse should never be condoned. Instead, these homes should be taken to task using the legal system.

Families must always listen to their loved ones, this is the first and most important way to find out if there is nursing home abuse happening. While some seniors with some form of dementia may tend to make accusations not supported by reality because of their condition, every single thing that they say must be taken seriously, even if it seems far-fetched. While families do not need to call the police for every single report of potential misconduct that a loved one makes, there is a need to inquire further if the loved one says something about being mistreated by a particular staff member.

Nursing home abuse is legally actionable. Nursing home residents who have suffered from elder abuse may be entitled to financial compensation. The nursing home abuse lawyers at KBA Attorneys can help families of seniors who have been impacted by abuse and hold the facilities accountable. 

Call us today to begin the process of filing a legal claim against a nursing home that has mistreated a loved one.