Elder abuse in nursing homes encompasses more than simple physical violence. Often when abuse is lauded on the elderly, the signs are subtle and may not be discovered for weeks, months or even years later. Therefore, knowing the types of abuse can assist family members and friends in abuse detection, and ultimately protection, of their loved one.

Verbal Abuse

The elderly may not move as fast as younger generations. They may be hard of hearing or have difficulty understanding what is asked of them. Caregivers can become impatient and anxious over the extended period of time they must spend with a nursing home resident and the size of the workload still ahead of them. Verbal abuse from the staff member may result. Telling someone they need to move faster is fine; pairing that sentiment with expletives or yelling, is abusive. If you notice your loved one becoming sensitive to loud voices and noises, of if they express fear of a staff member at the care facility, you should report the change in behavior to the facility administrator.

Theft

Theft is also a form of abuse. If your loved one has a petty cash account, be sure to monitor activity in the account closely. When money disappears in very small amounts, the loss is less noticeable, but over time small amounts can reach the high hundreds or thousands of dollars.

To discourage theft of belongings, make sure your loved one has a locked drawer in their small dresser. Jewelry and money are the most commonly stolen items. Before placing any personal items in a nursing home resident\’s room, make certain it is labeled with permanent marker to lessen the chance of a mixup. Staff members, as well as other residents may be guilty of theft.

Missing Mealtimes

One of the cruelest forms of abuse that sometimes occurs in nursing homes is withholding food or purposely not bringing residents to the dining room for mealtimes. When residents are fussy or perhaps take longer to eat than other, more able-bodied residents, staff gets overwhelmed by the extra time they must take with a resident, and staff may purposely leave the resident in their room, or they might claim the resident did not want to eat. Check the daily intake log for the percentage of the meal your loved one has eaten. If the log states they have been eating well, but you are noticing they look thinner, ask for their last recorded weight and compare it with the time before. You may also ask for a current weight. Bowel movements charts are also a good indication of the amount the resident is eating and voiding. If the BMs are three and four days apart, there may be an intake problem.

Poor Hygiene

If your loved one\’s clothes are soiled from a meal, the facility staff should change them. If your loved one does not look well-groomed, if their clothes don\’t match or there is an odor to them, their personal hygiene may be neglected. Look at their skin; the forearms and elbows. Check the bottoms of their feet and collar on their clothes; any visible signs of dirt may be an indication of irregular bathing.

Physical Abuse

Although elderly residents many times complain of feeling chilled and are often wearing winter clothes in summer, make certain you take the time to thoroughly inspect their skin. Bruises, cuts and scraps can be easily hidden by winter clothes.

Placing your loved one in a care facility is never an easy decision, and you should not have to worry about abuse of your loved one. If you suspect abuse of any type, contact the facility administrator who will launch an investigation, and be prepared to transfer your loved one to a new facility if they have not resolved the issue to your satisfaction.

Author Bio: Kevin Britt has extensive experience helping those suffering from a traumatic brain injury get the best evaluation and recover deserved damages. Visit the Florida Brain Injury Blog

Category: Legal
Keywords: elder abuse, mental elder abuse,