Seeing Signs of Abuse in Nursing Homes Can End the Danger

In situations where somebody is being subjected to abuse or neglect at a nursing home, it is imperative that the family members keep an eye out for the telltale signs of this type of abuse. There are many cases where signs of abuse may be difficult to detect, but there are many others where the signs were more or less visible and obvious and where somebody didn’t do something quickly enough.

Illnesses

Many of the people who go to nursing homes are actually not going there to live out the rest of their lives under nursing home care. They’re simply recovering from a bad illness or an injury. In such situations, their physician should have some idea of how long it should take them to convalesce before they are ready to go home. There should also be a pattern of healing over time. If somebody checks into a nursing home and they seem to be getting worse and there’s really no reason that should be happening, it’s a good reason to bring the issue up with their physician. The person’s physician will be more than qualified to take a look at the situation and look for signs of abuse.

Hygiene

Another common sign of nursing home abuse is poor hygiene. Many elderly individuals lack the physical strength or agility to clean themselves anymore, making them completely dependent upon the nursing home staff to do so. In cases where a nursing home is understaffed or where a patient is particularly difficult to deal with, there may be outright neglect of that patient’s hygiene needs. Unfortunately, hygiene is far more than cosmetic.
When you’re dealing with people who have problems with their immune systems or who have a certain vulnerability to specific diseases, poor hygiene can often exacerbate their situation to the point where they are very likely to fall prey to illnesses. If sudden illnesses – particularly infections and bedsores – become issues, you should report the incident immediately.

Dealing with the Situation

It’s oftentimes possible to get a loved one checked into a hospital or, if necessary, an emergency room to get them out of the nursing home where they are being put in danger. After you have eliminated the danger, talk to a Texas nursing home abuse lawyer about filing a lawsuit against the facility for failing to deliver the services that were required of them.