Nursing home resident abuse is much more common than many families realize. Many times, the resident is unable to communicate effectively when visitors are around, especially when staff is in and out during the visit. Workers and management staff will be on their best behavior when family comes to call only to revert to abusive practices when no one is there to observe. And specific incidents of abuse are not always the problem as many cases of abuse are due to neglect and overall general treatment of patients. This why it is vital to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney when anything looks suspicious.
It is important for families to remember that residents are also medical patients in many cases, but neglect can also be a problem for those who can do for themselves to some degree. Nursing home neglect that results in injury can happen to anyone confined to a facility regardless of their level of health. And issues are not always necessarily physical, as mental abuse can occur additionally. Overall ethical treatment is a serious concern for families, and many times abuse cases come from general issues such as attitude toward residents and facility cleanliness.
The truth is that most nursing home abuse cases stem from common problems and fall into several definitive categories. They include cases for issues such as:
• Physical abuse by staff and residents
• Sexual abuse by staff and residents
• Various forms of neglect
• Mental anguish and emotional abuse
One of the many difficulties with nursing home abuse cases is that the problems often go undetected until someone in the family or a concerned friend contacts an experienced nursing home neglect attorney who focuses their practice specifically on protecting facility residents who have been harmed in any way. Those attorneys who dedicate their practice to helping residents can see signs that others commonly will not realize.
