As family members, we expect nursing home staff to be experts in providing our loved ones with adequate medical care and personal assistance. Our elderly frequently experience difficulty managing their needs and require assistance from aides and nurses. They would require more supervision and be treated with compassion and care to reduce their anxiety. In general, it is reasonable to assume that the primary function of all nursing care facilities is to provide for their residents. However, that is not always the case.
In less than a year, nearly two million elderly individuals in Georgia have claimed maltreatment at the hands of caretakers and other residents. These concerns have been increasingly prominent throughout the COVID pandemic. During the pandemic, three were approximately 133,000 deaths within nursing homes, accounting for nearly 20% of the nation’s pandemic fatalities. Given the pandemic, nursing homes have been understaffed, directly impacting patient care. Your loved ones may have been left unattended for long hours with soiled briefs without being turned frequently. Or, they may have fallen while getting out of bed or trying to get to the bathroom.
Hearing these horrible facts about nursing homes may give you reservations concerning placing a loved one in a nursing home. It is best to regularly visit your loved ones so that you can spot potential signs of abuse.
Types of Abuse
Warning Signs of Abuse
Given the numerous types of abuse, it is vital to recognize some warning signs, such as changes in your loved one’s behavior, including behaviors suggesting agitation, apathy, withdrawal, fear, or anxiety. Additionally, an adult’s comments about being mistreated or the refusal of the caregiver to allow you to visit the adult alone could be indicators of abuse. Here is a list of the Top Ten warning signs of abuse:
1. Numerous falls and unexplained falls;
2. Intentional injuries such as bruising, burns, broken bones, or pain;
3. Threatening someone with violence, nursing home placement, abandonment, or neglect;
4. Verbal abuse including threats, insults, harassment, name-calling, and intimidation;
5. Any nonconsensual sexual contact, harassment, or inappropriate touching;
6. Failure to provide or purposely withhold shelter, clothing, food, water, medical care, or other basic needs;
7. Malnourishment, dehydration, or weight loss inconsistent with medical diagnosis;
8. Bedsores or rashes;
9. Wearing soiled or ragged clothes; and
10. Untreated medical conditions or injuries.
Your loved ones have the right to:
a. Be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.
b. Be free from abuse, harassment, and feelings of isolation that may cause trauma.
c. Receive adequate and appropriate care, treatment, and services for their condition.
Contact Us for Help with Nursing Home Abuse
Contact our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Crumby Law if you suspect your loved one is being abused. Our mission is to fight for the silenced, neglected, and unheard. That is why our team is here to help protect your loved ones, who took the time to take care of you.
The Law Office of Daniel R. Crumby, LLC is located in Atlanta, GA and serves clients in and around Roswell, Decatur, Scottdale, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Tucker, Smyrna, Dekalb County and Fulton County.
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