When you helped your senior find a new home to fit their needs, you likely considered several factors. The staff had to be friendly, the environment should be clean and it must offer enough resources to help your loved one live comfortably.
Now, everything seems different.
The staff is impatient. The plumbing doesn’t work properly. Your senior looks unhappy. You may be noticing things you didn’t the first time you looked around, like exposed wires and standing water. It’s possible you may even suspect that your senior is in a dangerous situation.
Nursing home neglect may be more common than you realize. It can also surface in many ways, so you should know what to look for in possible cases of abuse.
When you visit your senior, look very carefully at the environment. Does it seem excessively messy or smell foul? Elders in nursing homes deserve to live in a tidy, hygienic space.
Also look for any new injuries on their body, such as scars or bruises. Photos of particularly visible changes may help a court understand the severity of abuse.
Find out if your loved one has stopped taking medicine, bathing, or eating regularly. Not all signs of neglect are easy to see. Mental issues count as a form of personal injury, too. Abuse can create psychological problems that affect how a senior cares for themselves.
Mistreatment in a nursing home can lead to devastating injury and loss, which is why you should not let it go. Consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible if you notice these changes in your loved one. You and your senior could receive compensation for medical fees and more if abuse or neglect is indeed taking place.
