The Most Common Types of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

You may think that it could never happen to you or your family. After all, why would someone want to hurt your loved one? Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect happens every day in the United States.

Often, the abuse or neglect goes unreported or unnoticed. So, it is crucial that you know what to look out for when you go to check on your loved one. This way, you may be able to stop any kind of nursing home abuse or neglect before it’s too late.

Nursing Home Abuse

The 4 major types of nursing home abuse are as follows:

1. Physical Abuse – The most obvious type of nursing home abuse is physical abuse. Examples of physical abuse include cuts, bruises, the use of excessive restraints, or any other type of abuse that causes bodily injury.
2. Psychological Abuse – Psychological abuse is more difficult to detect and includes verbal assaults, threats, intimidation, harassment, isolation, and humiliation.
3. Sexual Abuse – In extreme cases, some nursing home residents may even be victims of sexual abuse, including sexual assault, explicit photography, and coerced nudity.
4. Financial Abuse – It’s also important to keep an eye on your loved one’s financial accounts. Many nursing home staff members have access to residents’ financial accounts in order to purchase personal items for them. If you suspect that something isn’t quite right with your loved one’s financial accounts, they may be a victim of theft, coercion, or abuse of power of attorney.

Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect happens most often to residents who are not given the help they need to prevent dangerous accidents, or who are housed in unsanitary or unhealthy conditions. This often results in the resident’s health suffering a devastating and unnecessary decline as a result:

• Falls (which often lead to broken bones);
• Bed Sores;
• Infections;
• Dehydration and Malnutrition; or
• Overmedication

Contact an Experienced Elder Law Attorney

No matter how your loved one is being abused it’s not OK, and you should hold those who have abused or neglected your loved one accountable by consulting with an experienced elder law attorney. Elder law attorneys specialize in getting compensation for victims of abuse and neglect in nursing homes and other elder care facilities, or who are the victims of abuse and neglect by care providers in their own homes.

An experienced elder law attorney will work with you to investigate the abuse and file a claim for compensation against the nursing home and/or those responsible. This way, you can receive the compensation that your loved one deserves and that is needed to move them one away from the abusive environment, while also protecting other elders from the same kind of pain and anguish.

For help in locating a qualified nursing home abuse attorney near you, call us at 1-800-603-6833, or contact us here to arrange a free consultation.