Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

The decision to put a loved one in a nursing home is very difficult for many people. It can be even more difficult for the loved one who is no longer able to stay in their home or with their family due to their needs. The balance of a nursing facility that is affordable, comfortable for the resident, and appears to have a caring and responsive staff is a delicate one that may feel impossible to achieve. Once you decide on a place, you move your loved one in and trust that they will be well cared for. Many times, this is exactly what happens. Other times, it’s not.

In this transitional period, you may feel good about your facility but still want to know what to look for if something isn’t right. Or maybe you already feel that something is off and your loved one is not getting the care they need. If you are in a situation where you know elder abuse is occurring, it is wise to report it to the appropriate agencies. You may want to bring in a Portland nursing home abuse lawyer with Paulsen Coletti Trial Attorneys.

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect

Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

A part of being able to identify the warning signs of nursing home abuse is fully understanding what constitutes abuse. Abuse can take many forms, and while physical abuse is common, there are many other, more insidious, types. These can be harder to identify and require someone to pay close attention to patterns of incidents. The Oregon Department of Human Services reports that 25%-35% of all Adult Protective Services investigations are in skilled nursing facilities.

We would be remiss if we didn’t take notice of the fact that healthcare workers who are abusive to residents and patients at nursing facilities rarely do it because they are bad people. Abuse generally happens when people, even loving, caring people, are put in situations beyond their ability to cope. While the individual is accountable for their actions, the facility should also be held responsible for maintaining a work environment that allows abuse.

Neglect

Neglect in a nursing facility can be defined as failing to meet the patient’s basic needs. Many things may influence neglect. Short-staffed facilities are a major cause of this. During daily tasks, providers may fail to change dressings and clothes, give or help with bathing, or get patients moving. This may result in infections, poor hygiene, or bed sores. This may commonly look like malnutrition, worsening medical problems, or other health problems that have gone unaddressed. In severe cases, neglect can result in the death of the resident, resulting in a Portland wrongful death lawsuit.

Emotional/Verbal Abuse

Emotional and verbal abuse may be more difficult to confirm unless you have witnessed an incident. However, it can be defined as any kind of communication by staff to a resident that results in the resident’s experience of emotional pain, distress, or fear. This may look like screaming or yelling, criticizing, name-calling, scapegoating, and condescending to the patient.

Financial Exploitation

Financial exploitation of elders is a very common type of abuse. In a nursing facility, this can look like providers who withhold income from patients or charge them for things like food or clothes that are included in the fee to the facility or ask the residents for money for themselves or their families. Financial exploitation can be tricky because the victim technically consents. However, many elders who find themselves in nursing facilities have some kind of cognitive delays like Alzheimer’s or dementia. So, while they may consent, they don’t necessarily understand what they are consenting to.

Sexual Abuse

No one wants to think about sexual abuse happening in nursing facilities, but research has shown that nearly 7% of all abuse in nursing homes is sexual abuse. Due to the power dynamic and vulnerable status of residents, any sexual contact between residents and facility staff is seen as sexual assault. Though sexual contact is not the only thing that would qualify, coerced nudity, forced exposure to pornography, or showing and taking explicit photos may also be included.

Indicators of Nursing Home Abuse

Indicators of abuse in the nursing home may be difficult to identify if you don’t know what to look for. Some symptoms of physical abuse or neglect may be more obvious if you can see the patient in person and identify bruises or clear symptoms of illness or malnourishment. Other indicators of abuse to look out for may be:

The effects of prolonged abuse on residents of nursing homes are similar to the effects of abuse in any other situation. These can include depression, anxiety, or even symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The key to identifying red flags is to pay attention and take allegations seriously. Many victims of nursing home abuse don’t speak up, so we must take them seriously when they do.

Nursing Home Abuse Prevention

From a legislative perspective, lawmakers have made strides in protecting vulnerable populations in Oregon and the United States. In 2022, this was demonstrated when they passed the Elder Justice Act that established some of the following:

Ultimately, only the perpetrators of abuse and neglect can stop it. However, we can take action to learn the signs of abuse and report it when we see it. Additionally, residents who don’t have friends and family present in their lives are more likely to be vulnerable to abuse. We can support them by checking in, knowing they have someone looking out for them, and taking steps to hold abusers accountable when they report it.