3 Key Ways To Recognize Nursing Home Neglect
It’s important to learn ways to recognize nursing home neglect to keep your family member’s safe and cared for.
One of the most difficult parts of having aging loved ones is finding a nursing home that cares for them as much as you do. This scenario can fill you with anxiety, due to the potential of leaving your loved ones with people who don’t have their best interests in mind. On top of the inherent worries of choosing a nursing home is the growing list of cases of malpractice in the elder care industry.
With all of these fears to consider, it becomes extremely important to know ways to recognize nursing home neglect, as well as to understand what your legal rights are to take action against neglectful companies.
Ways to Recognize Nursing Home Neglect
There are several different ways to recognize a case of nursing home neglect. Paying attention to these signs is critical for noticing differences between the care that your loved one was promised, and the care they are actually receiving. Keep an eye out for anything that could fall into the three categories below, as they are some of the most common areas of neglect.
Physical: The most visible signs of nursing home neglect are often physical ones. While it can be tough to separate physical signs of neglect from the natural parts of aging, regular visits to your loved one can help divide natural signs from the suspicious ones. Your loved one may be a victim of nursing home neglect if you can see one or more of the following issues:
- Sudden weight loss
- Bedsores
- Suspicious injuries from falls
- Signs of dehydration or malnutrition
Social: Another less obvious but possibly more devastating symptom of nursing home neglect is the impact of social neglect. There are several signs to look for to decipher if nursing home staff are failing to properly engage and socialize with your loved one. Since these are less clear at first glance than the physical signs, try keeping an open line of communication with your loved one, if possible, to ascertain their level of daily social involvement. Signs of social neglect include:
- Withdrawn or unusual behavior, or swings in behavior
- A lack of social interaction with both staff and other residents
Environmental: The third category of nursing home neglect is the facility’s environmental factors. These are hazards or signs of neglect in the physical building itself, showing a lack of interest by staff or management in maintaining a safe and nurturing environment. These can including things like slippery floors, hazardous equipment visible around the facility, poorly lit rooms or hallways, or unsafe amenities in your loved one’s room or bathroom.
What To Do About Nursing Home Neglect
If you have seen any of the signs of nursing home neglect in the nursing home where your loved one lives, contact Evergreen Personal Injury Counsel today. Our team of experienced legal professionals will help you navigate the intricacies of each individual case, in order to help you attain justice and proper care for your loved one.