When a nursing home patient cannot advocate for themselves, they depend on loved ones to monitor their care. If your loved one is a resident of a long-term care facility, you should know the warning signs of nursing home abuse in DeLand and be prepared to act if you see any red flags.
The attorneys at The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers are well-known for their aggressive stance against nursing home abuse. Other attorneys and area professionals turn to us when their loved ones are suffering maltreatment in long-term care facilities.
Recognize the Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Any conduct that involves intimidation or physical force, emotional manipulation, or deprives a patient of autonomy they are capable of exercising is abusive. Nursing home staff might abuse a patient, but sometimes the culprit is another resident or a regular visitor.
It is the facility’s responsibility to keep all patients safe from abuse, regardless of the abuser’s identity. Our DeLand attorneys have represented nursing home patients and their families in cases involving all forms of abuse.
Emotional Abuse
Nursing home patients often experience mental health challenges. Moving into a facility knowing that they are unlikely to regain their independence can cause depression and anxiety.
However, changes in mood and affect can be the result of emotional abuse. Nursing home staff or other patients may bully, disparage, or manipulate a patient. Look for:
- Expressions of fear
- Unexplained agitation
- Withdrawal from engagement with others
- Unwillingness to spend time in common areas or participate in group activities
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Behaviors such as rocking or thumb sucking
If you notice these changes in your loved one, try to speak with them about it to unpack the cause. If your loved one is unable to communicate or unwilling to confide in you, speak with their doctor and the nursing home administrator about your concerns.
Physical Abuse
Violence in nursing homes is more common than you might think. Patients may be pushed or shoved; slapped, struck, or punched; or their hair pulled. There have been incidents of patients being burned by cigarettes or placed in a scalding shower.
Other forms of physical abuse include the use of physical restraints, being denied food or water, being kept in soiled clothing or bedding, and similar indignities. If the patient presents with unexplained broken bones or bruising, scalp lacerations, skin rashes or blisters, or pain, you should consider whether physical abuse might be the cause.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse of nursing home patients can be especially hard to detect because the patient may feel shame or fear. Abusers may make the victim feel that their behavior led to the incident and may threaten them with harm if they tell.
The same changes in behavior that happen with emotional abuse may be present when a patient has been sexually abused. Bruising or wounds around the genitalia and a new diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease point toward sexual abuse. Men can be victims of sexual abuse and you should consider the possibility if a male patient is experiencing concerning symptoms.
Financial Exploitation
Nursing home patients are especially vulnerable to financial exploitation and scams. Investigate if your loved one is making excessive cash withdrawals, has financial problems despite adequate resources, or makes a sudden and unexpected decision to change a will or give a new person a power of attorney.
How Should You Respond When You Notice Something Concerning?
If you believe your loved one is being abused, talk to the facility administrator and confirm the conversation in writing. You can also make a report to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or make an online complaint to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
If you are dissatisfied with the results, contact the DeLand attorneys at The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers. We could bring a lawsuit against the facility seeking damages for nursing home abuse. We have won substantial verdicts and settlements in several cases of nursing home abuse.
Work With Our DeLand Attorneys If You SeeNursing Home Abuse Warning Signs
If your loved one is exhibiting any of the warning signs of nursing home abuse in DeLand, contact us at Colling Gilbert Wright immediately. We can protect your loved one and hold the facility accountable. We do not charge expenses or fees until we obtain compensation for you, so reach out today.