Nursing Home Resident Has Wedding Ring Stolen

A report in Cleaveland.com reports that a woman told police that she had her wedding ring stolen while she slept. Of course, Cleveland is a long way from Texas, but the nature of the report does reveal a lot about nursing home abuse and how it happens. Theft, of course, is usually not considered abuse, though it is oftentimes a sign that there may be far worse going on at the nursing home where it takes place.

Warning Signs

Nursing home abuse can generally only go on if the administration and the staff fail to properly monitor what's going on at the facility and pay attention to the residents. The woman in the story claims that her wedding ring was likely stolen while she slept. She thought she felt someone removing it but wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not. Obviously, if the report turns out to be true, it's indicative that there's someone working at the nursing home who is not to be trusted.
The wedding ring that was stolen was valued at approximately $8,000, no small sum. Even though most people look for signs of physical abuse when they suspect nursing home abuse, theft and other types of financial abuse are some of the most common nursing home abuse symptoms that you'll see. If someone is being stolen from, they're obviously not being protected and, in a situation where somebody is aged or has a condition that makes it very difficult for them to stand up for themselves, they are readymade victims for people with the type of mentality that leads to abuse.

Fighting Back

The woman in the story did precisely the right thing and, being over 90 years old, that's quite impressive. She contacted the police and reported the stolen item, which launches a criminal investigation. If there are other problems at the nursing home, it's possible that they would be discovered as part of the criminal investigation.
Whether or not anybody at the nursing home ends up being charged with a crime, it is sometimes still possible to sue the administrators at a nursing home or the company that owns it for negligence. Not taking reasonable actions to prevent residents from being financially or physically victimized is most certainly negligent. If you or a loved one has been the victim of such negligence, contacting an attorney may be in your best interests.