Lookout for These Easy-to-Miss Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Monday, March 2, 2020

Lookout for These Easy-to-Miss Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

There might come a time where you need to move an older family member into a living care facility. The transition into an assisted living facility can be challenging for both the older adult and the family members alike. This is a change in routine, location, and lifestyle and is a big decision. You want to feel like your loved one is in the best possible place for their specific situation. Elderly people in nursing homes have the right to a safe and comfortable place to live. Unfortunately, sometimes nursing home abuse can happen. When it does, the effects can be devastating. 

Some Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

In many cases, nursing home abuse comes down to a lack of care and attention given to the patients at a nursing home. Other times, there is actual malice involved. Understanding some of the different indicators that a person is suffering from nursing abuse can help you identify when this is happening to a person that you love. Signs to watch for include but are not limited to:

• Weight loss – Dramatic weight loss can be alarming, especially within the elderly population. If you notice that the nursing home resident you are visiting has recently lost a lot of weight, that could be an indicator that abuse is present. Weight loss could be due to depression, lack of care, and limiting food and water. 
• Depression – One sign to watch for is an overall lack of empathy, disinterest in engaging, refusing to eat, and other signs that might indicate the nursing home resident is depressed. If you suspect that they are displaying signs of depression, it is advisable to ask for details on their treatment. 
• Overmedication – If you notice a change in behavior in which a nursing home resident is more lethargic, drowsy, or unable to converse than usual, it could be that they are receiving more medication that is needed. Overmedication is a serious medical error and is extremely dangerous. 
• Unsanitary living conditions – All nursing home residents deserve to live in a clean environment. Unsanitary living conditions are especially serious in a nursing home where residents are already more fragile and prone to infection. An unsanitary living condition could also be an indicator that there is a lack of care in all other areas of the assisted living facility. 

Contact a Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Right Away

If you have reason to believe that someone in a nursing home has been experiencing abuse, it is essential to seek immediate help. Nursing home abuse is a serious situation and targets those who are typically unable to ask for help themselves. The nursing home abuse attorneys at Malman Law have years of experience working with clients who have a family member suffering from nursing home abuse. We understand the stress and trauma that this can cause for everyone involved. Call us today at (312) 629-0099 or contact us online to schedule an appointment and learn more about your legal rights in this situation.