Abuse of the elderly can occur in nursing homes. Numerous instances of neglect are either overlooked or underreported at these care facilities. There are several factors to consider when thinking about your loved one’s safety and care. You must ensure that they are never financially exploited or are in a dangerous or negligent environment. But how can this be accomplished? This article explores the signs you must look out for that might signal nursing home abuse.
What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Let’s first start by properly understanding what nursing home abuse is. When staff members harm residents of these long-term care institutions, it is known as nursing home abuse. Abuse can include both intentional and unintentional harm. Elder abuse can cause trauma, medical issues, and, regrettably, even death, depending on the kind and severity of the abuse.
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is prevalent because of issues like a lack of staff and exhaustion. Staff members may become agitated with the individuals they are supposed to be caring for due to these issues and may be unable to respond effectively to the needs of the elderly.
All this sounds terrible, but if you catch the signs of abuse soon enough, you can save your loved ones from the pain. Here are the signs you need to look out for.
Unexplained Injuries or Health Issues
Physical abuse is often something that can be pinpointed easily. You must be on the lookout for:
- Several fractured bones, possibly from being physically abused, shoved, or restrained. Even while unintentional falls can cause hip, wrist, and elbow fractures in older persons, skilled physicians and other medical professionals can distinguish between fractures from falls and those from assaults.
- Bruises, welts, wounds, rug burns, and scrapes are usually the result of being seized, confined, or having an object used against them. Take special note of the upper arms, ankles, and wrists. An elderly resident of a nursing home could easily be restrained in those areas.
- Broken property, such as eyeglasses, can cause severe injury to the individual. For the same reasons, dentures can also break. Be mindful of their belongings getting broken.
- Also, take into account drastic weight loss from being starved or frequent illnesses that were not occurring when they were at home, but suddenly now they seem to keep getting sick often.
Changes in Behavior
The signs of emotional nursing home abuse in the elderly can be more challenging to spot, but they are equally essential to recognize to keep your loved one safe.
The following are indicators of emotional elder abuse:
- Severe behavioral changes. Elderly people who experience emotional abuse may stop participating in social activities. Notice if their self-esteem has suddenly dropped and they start to isolate. People who experience emotional abuse typically avoid social events.
- Fear of being abandoned. Some residents of nursing homes who have experienced emotional abuse may be fearful of being alone because they believe they could harm themselves or die. A warning sign to look out for is also if the elderly person dislikes spending time alone with a particular caregiver.
- Repetitive behaviors. A classic indicator of emotional abuse is if they engage in repetitive activities such as rocking back and forth, sucking their thumb, or muttering to themselves.
- Refusal to take medication. The resident may be reacting to the abuse if they start refusing to take their medication, whereas before they would always ensure they took them.
Strange Financial Decisions
Financial abuse is another way in which the elderly are taken advantage of in nursing homes. Financial nursing home abuse symptoms include:
- Spending that cannot be explained
- Recalling certain costs becomes challenging
- Enrolling in programs or services that demand regular monthly payments
- Donating to unregistered causes or unidentified organizations
- Receiving invoices for unforeseen charges, such as additional medical or care fees
- Claiming that their personal documents, cash, credit cards, and checkbook are missing
- Abruptly starting to hoard documents and become secretive
These are tell-tale signs of financial abuse that you need to consider when checking in on our loved ones in nursing homes.
Conclusion
Nursing home abuse is a terrible thing, but if the signs of abuse are known early enough, not only can victims get help before they suffer further harm or even die, but families will have better odds at receiving justice for their suffering. By being aware of physical injuries, shifts in emotions, and odd financial transactions, you can step in before the nursing home abuse escalates. Always follow your gut; if something doesn’t seem right, speak up, ask questions, and take action. You are one of the best defenders your loved one has.
This article was written for WHN by Tonisha, who is a content creator who works with a number of clients and campaigns to provide helpful information on a variety of high-quality platforms.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article on nursing home abuse should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
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