Is It Nursing Home Abuse?

The symptoms of being abused are quite similar, no matter the age of the victim.

The problem that one runs into in a nursing home situation is that the victim will oftentimes be unable to communicate coherently. Because of this, a situation may be created where the victim is abused over and over again by the same staff member or another resident and, because of their diminished cognitive abilities, the victim has no way of saying what is going on. This is when families and physicians have to be particularly alert for the signs of abuse.

Physical signs.

The signs of physical abuse are very similar to the signs that you'd expect to see on somebody's body if they were physically assaulted. You will generally see bruising in the areas where somebody would be pushed and pulled by the abuser. For example, the areas around the elbows, wrists, upper arms and shoulders and neck will sometimes be heavily bruised if somebody is being abused and if that abuse includes being pushed and shoved.
Your physician can keep an eye out for the signs of physical abuse, as well. These are sometimes the types of things that are only left behind by the worst types of sadist. Cigarette burns, cuts, severe bruising and other signs of physical abuse may be present in people who were the victims of a particularly deranged antagonist. Your physician can also keep an eye out for the signs of sexual abuse, which can be some of the hardest to identify.

Psychological signs.

Even if somebody suffers a debilitating mental condition, they may be able to reach out somewhat through their behavior. They may become particularly disturbed in the presence of a particular staff member, and this is something that families need to be aware of. They may also be upset by the presence of a particular resident who is taking advantage of them. Be wary for signs that your loved one is intimidated by somebody at the facility.
Nursing home abuse attorneys can help you after the abuse has been put to an end. A lawyer for nursing home abuse can help you file a civil suit against the nursing home facility so that you can seek damages for your loved one. This can help pay for the costs of having to relocate them, the costs of medical treatments related to dealing with the fallout of the abuse and other expenses.