Nursing Home Abuse
As your loved ones age, there may come a time when you and your family are no longer able or qualified to care for them. While this is a hard conclusion to reach, it is important to be honest and make sure that your loved one gets the care that they need. In some cases, this might meed assistance from a home health aide. In other situations, residency at Monroe assisted living or even a nursing home may be the best option for your aging loved one.
When you seek these kinds of medical resources for your loved one, you are doing so to help them. However, in some cases there can be adverse effects that end up causing more harm than good. This might be the case if your loved one is the victim of abuse or neglect at the hands of medical personnel or facility staff members. Here, you can learn more about the potential for Monroe nursing home neglect and abuse and steps to take to protect your loved one.
What is Monroe Elderly Abuse?
It’s awful to think about, but neglect and abuse of the elderly can occur. In some cases, this can be inadvertent. It could be the result of poor qualifications, poor training, overstaffing, and similar issues. However, in other cases, a person may purposefully perpetrate crimes against the elderly. While physical abuse is the most commonly thought of form of abuse when it comes to the elderly, there are other forms that you should watch out for as well. Some forms of elder abuse include:
- Physical abuse: as I mentioned, this is one of the most commonly thought of forms of abuse. It includes physical acts of harm such as hitting, yanking, biting, scratching, punching, etc.
- Emotional abuse: Not all abuse is visible! Your loved one may be belittled in a nursing home. Words can cause harm and fear for your loved one and impact their self-worth.
- Sexual abuse: Unfortunately, sexual abuse can happen in nursing home environments for several situations. A perpetrator may view their victims as physically and mentally weak. The victims may not be able to physically resist. Those with memory issues may also be seen as unreliable, and a perpetrator may feel that they have a better chance of getting away with their abuse when attacking someone with a faulty memory. This might be the case when it comes to any type of abuse.
- Financial abuse: Some people will try to take advantage of the elderly through scams or by tricking them into disclosing financial information. Make sure that you communicate with your loved one about their financial situation.
- Neglect: Neglect can take many forms, but it usually means that your loved one is not having their basic needs met. In some cases, the elderly will self-neglect and choose not to care for themselves.
- Medical malpractice: The elderly generally need more healthcare than younger people do. With many different forms of treatment and medication, errors can occur. Such issues are considered medical malpractice and can have minor or serious adverse effects.
Help From a Local Lawyer
The best thing that you can do to prevent neglect and abuse is communicate with your loved one and the nursing home. Make sure the home knows that any such issues will not be tolerated and that you are checking up on them. If you suspect abuse, contact a Monroe nursing home neglect and abuse lawyer right away.