Protect Your Aging Parent: 5 Signs of Abuse and Neglect In Nursing Homes

The decision to place your loved one in a nursing home is never an easy one. But the thought of them being abused or neglected by their caregivers can be even more difficult to bear.

Abuse and neglect are unfortunately common in nursing homes, but you can take steps to protect your aging parent from these awful instances. In this article, we will discuss five signs of abuse and neglect that you should look out for if you suspect it’s happening in your loved one’s care facility!

1. Bruises or Other Injuries on the Body That Have Not Been Explained

If your loved one has bruises or other injuries on their body that haven’t been explained by the nursing home staff, this is a red flag for physical abuse. Elder abuse can happen in many different ways and it’s important to pay attention to any injury that your loved one may have if they’re not able to provide an explanation for how they got there.

Bruises are common when someone hits another person with an object or hits them repeatedly with their hands. If you notice your loved one has an injury that does not match what they are claiming happened, investigate immediately.

2. Poor Hygiene or Worsened Health Problems

If you notice your loved one’s hygiene or health problems are getting worse, this could be a sign of nursing home abuse and neglect. Neglect is when the nursing home is not giving your loved one adequate food, medical care, warmth, or dental care.

Signs of neglect include significant weight loss, bedsores, and living in an environment that is dirty or unsafe. Neglect or abuse of any kind is unacceptable and your loved one should not suffer because their nursing home is incapable of providing the care they need. If you’re in the Chicago area, Thomas Law Officeshelps elders who have faced abuse in their nursing homes. 

3. Changes in Mood or Behavior

There are many different signs of emotional abuse happening at nursing homes and it’s difficult to always pick up on them because oftentimes people will try to hide how they really feel from others out of shame or embarrassment. If your loved one seems withdrawn and does not speak with staff members or visitors, this may be a sign of underlying nursing home abuse and neglect.

If you notice your loved one has anxiety when near certain staff members, this may be a sign of nursing home abuse. This anxiety could be a result of emotional, psychological, or sexual abuse or some other form of elder abuse.

Abuse can make people feel afraid and uncomfortable in the presence of those who would normally not cause them any fear or unease, so it’s normal to see signs like this as an outward expression of inner turmoil. It is important for family members to speak up if they suspect someone else might be hurting their loved one because victims cannot always do it themselves due to emotional trauma or fear.

3 Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes: What to Look for

If you’re worried your loved one might be the victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, we hope this post gave you some further insight. The signs of abuse and neglect in nursing homes that we’ve outlined here should give you some clues as to what may be happening at the facility.

We hope you found this post helpful. If you did, be sure to check out our blog for more posts like this one!