Nursing Home Abuse Center – Protecting Our Seniors.
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It may be our wish to be the sole caregivers of our elderly relatives, but that isn’t always going to be the case, especially if they have complicated medical needs. Having to admit that we can’t provide them the best care they need is a difficult realization. Fortunately, there are nursing home facilities that can provide all of the care and attention that you loved one will need.
Before placing your loved one into a nursing home, you will no doubt do your research and visit the facilities in order to find the best one. You’ll want your loved ones to feel at home, protected, and cared for. Unfortunately, as much as we’d like to believe that our loved ones will receive the best care possible, that isn’t always the case. There are unfortunately facilities out there that don’t treat your loved ones as their number one priority, and can even go so far as abuse or neglect.
Identifying Abuse
There are many types of elder abuse, such as physical, sexual, and emotional. Many patients at nursing home facilities are too weak or frail to fight back. Some may be unable to communicate or speak to let others know what is going on. If you are aware that your loved one, or anyone, is being abused at a nursing home facility, please report it and never keep it to yourself. Take immediate action.
Finding out a loved one is being abused at a nursing home facility can be devastating and infuriating. Make sure that any mention of abuse, signs of abuse, or even suspicions of abuse are all documented somewhere. This will ensure that if you take legal action, you have proof of the abuse and when it happened in the past.
Looking for Support
If you suspect nursing home abuse, the first place to start is to speak with the doctors or facility managers. They are there to support you and to make sure your loved ones are safe and well taken care of. They are by law required to investigate the matter, and all facilities need to have a policy regarding abuse claims. If you happen to actually witness the abuse, call 911 immediately.
Not only will this ensure the safety of your loved one, but it will also involve law enforcement and allow them to see the abuse first hand. This abuse is taken very seriously by law enforcement, and there are plenty of legal actions you can take if necessary.
Next Steps
After you’ve determined your loved one is being abused, immediately remove them from that facility. If you haven’t already filed a police report, do so right away. You next step is to contact your state’s department of social services in order to escalate the issue.
Your loved one may not have been the only one being abused. Social services needs to be aware that the facility is being investigated, and will need to take action against them. Make sure to reach out to your state’s elder abuse hotline. After doing this, the government will assign a caseworker to interview your loved one and investigate the facility.
Taking Legal Action
The next step after notifying the proper authorities is to take legal action. You will want to hire an experienced nursing home abuse attorney that is well versed on nursing home abuse laws. Victims of nursing home abuse may be able to sue the facility under specific federal or state statutes. Some cases may justify and award of punitive damages, not to just to compensate the victim, but also meant to punish the abuser. Other types of compensation that the victim and their family may be entitled to include, medical expenses, mental anguish, physical suffering, and even support for the surviving relatives.
If you suspect or know that your loved one is being abused in a nursing home, be sure to take the proper steps, but also take swift action. Know that you aren’t alone in this awful situation, and that there are people who can help. By holding the facility accountable for their heinous actions, you are ensuring that this abuse never happens to anyone again. If you have a loved one who has been abused and you want to see if you have a case, then you should connect with our legal partners for a free case review, take action now for both you and your loved one.
