Nursing home residents deserve to live their older years with dignity. However, some of them become victims of either neglect or horrific abuse. What’s even more unfortunate is that these cases are often not reported due to embarrassment, fear, or the resident is not able to communicate.
While there are so many unreported nursing home abuse cases, the number of reported cases is shocking. According to a two-year-long study done by the House Government Reform Committee, abuse cases were reported in more than 25% of the looked into nursing homes.
If you suspect that a loved one faces abuse in a nursing home, this is how you should go about reporting it.
1. Take Note of the Abuse Warning Signs
Nursing home abuse can either be plain evident or subtle. It is possible that your loved one might be unwilling to divulge the nature of abuse they’re experiencing in the nursing home. This makes it important that you identify any potential signs of nursing home abuse.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Changes in attitude or behavior from a loved one such as hastened aggression, depressive moods, or social withdrawal from certain residents or staff are solid signs of abuse.
It is the duty of the nursing home to help your loved one live the best they can. Unexplained weight loss or poor hygiene are signs of neglect on the end of the facility.
If they have bedsores it’s because they are not being turned. Bedsores can be distressful especially for people suffering from several metabolic conditions such as diabetes.
2. Document the Abuse
You need to record proof that your loved one is experiencing abuse. Take pictures using your phone and document what you’ve seen in writing. Make sure you keep a log for easy reference in case the matter becomes a legal affair.
3. Report the Abuse to the Appropriate Authorities
If you have collected quantifiable evidence suggesting that your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse, you should get in touch with the proper state agencies dealing with eldercare.
Present your evidence to the representatives of the agency and they can advise you on how to proceed further. Also, make sure you’ve notified the administrator of the nursing home but only if they’re not the suspected abuser.
You may also consider hiring an experienced attorney with a specialty in nursing home abuse issues. This kind of lawyer can help your loved one receive the compensation they deserve as a result of the abuse they’ve undergone.
In Summary
Discovering that someone you hold dear is experiencing abuse or neglect while in a nursing home can be heartbreaking. Nursing home abuse is a common issue that leaves residents either physically, emotionally, or financially broken. In extreme situations, cases of nursing home abuse have proven fatal.
If you find out that a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, follow the above steps to make sure the abuse is put to a stop. Your loved one has the right to live in a safe and secure environment.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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