Nursing home abuse is every patient’s nightmare and torture for their families. It can be hard to spot, but if you look for the right things, you can see red flags and make sure your loved one is taken out of a dangerous situation. If he or she is hurt while at a nursing facility due to neglect, then noting these red flags can help you when you file a medical malpractice claim.
What signs of nursing home abuse should you look for?
One of the first and most obvious signs of potential abuse is poor personal hygiene. When people go into nursing homes, they often need assistance with normal daily activities such as showering or going to the bathroom. Facilities with too few staff members or negligent staff members may allow residents to go days without personal hygiene care. How can you tell? If your loved one has greasy hair, smells bad, or starts to have dental issues, there could be a problem.
Another thing to look out for is the sanitation procedures in the nursing home. If you see a spill take place, does someone clean it up quickly and make sure to sanitize the area? If a patient falls ill, do the staff members take extra time to clean down railings or areas where germs could spread? If you notice that dirt, grime and stains are prominent, staff members may not be taking care of basic cleaning requirements, leaving your loved one open to illnesses and infections.
One thing that many people expect during a person’s stay at a nursing home is the gradual decline in mental health and a decrease in mobility. While some patients may get worse quickly, the truth is that some suffer because of missing medications, being verbally abused or being left without help to get around. If your loved one is acting out or seems to be declining in health rapidly, it’s worth looking into what a normal day is like at the facility to make sure he or she is getting the care needed.
Source: Next Avenue, “6 Signs of Nursing Home Neglect,” Sarah Blanchard, accessed Dec. 14, 2016
