Nursing Home Abuse

When your family members begin to get too old to take care of themselves, a nursing home may seem like the best option. These are rarely easy decisions and one expects that when they put their loved one in a care facility that their needs will be properly looked after.  If the facility is not providing the attention and care that your loved one requires, you may be in a situation involving nursing home abuse.

Nursing home abuse can take many different forms, but is always damaging emotionally, physically, and mentally.  Since the pain and suffering can be hard to prove in cases of this type, it’s important to work with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney in the event of abuse or negligence to your family member or loved one.

Nursing Home Neglect

Neglect is the most common type of nursing home abuse and is often overlooked, even by family members. One of the biggest problems is that negligence can remain hidden from family members even after several visits.

The most common signs of nursing home neglect are:

  • Persisting ailments due to lack of appropriate care or medication
  • Declining physical state due to malnutrition or dehydration
  • Bed sores
  • Sepsis
  • Falls
  • Burns

Neglect is serious and usually includes a decline in general health and well-being. If left unattended long enough, nursing home neglect may lead to serious complications or even death.

Nursing Home Abuse

While simple negligence is terrible, conscious abuse is even worse. Abuse can come in the form of physical or emotional harm that is inflicted on residents of nursing homes.

Physical Abuse is the non-accidental use of force against an elderly person which causes them physical pain, injury, or impairment. This includes not only physical assault such as hitting, shoving, and sexual abuse, but also the misuse of prescription drugs, restraints, and confinement.

Emotional Abuse is the psychological abuse associated with a verbal or physical act, which causes an elderly person emotional pain or distress.  Examples include intimidation, yelling, threats, humiliation, and blaming. Nonverbal examples of emotional abuse are ignoring and terrorizing an elderly person, or isolating them from other residents or activities.

Get Help Immediately in the Pittsburgh Area

Since most elderly people are vulnerable, it can be difficult for them to protect themselves or to try and get help. If you think you’re seeing signs of negligence or abuse with a loved one, you should contact an experienced attorney immediately.

Without the help of an attorney familiar with nursing home abuse, it will be hard to bring accountability to whomever is responsible for these acts. Don’t allow this activity to continue when we’re here to help!

If you feel like one of your family members has been a victim of nursing home abuse, please contact Martin & Lerda immediately!