ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Nursing Home Abuse
Elder abuse takes many forms but whether the abuse is physical, psychological, or financial the toll can be devastating. In institutions such as nursing homes, elder abuse can be especially prevalent. We want you to understand more about the nature and occasions for elder abuse in the nursing home environment so you can protect yourself and your loved ones in the event that you or they experience any of these types of abuse, whether the abuse is happening in Contra Costa County or elsewhere.
1. Physical Abuse
This is perhaps one of the most obvious types of abuse, but among the most difficult to deal with. Physical abuse in nursing homes can be abuse of patients by nursing home staff or even other nursing home patients. The most obvious incidents of physical abuse include punching, kicking, shoving, or other similar assaults. However, physical elder abuse may also manifest as poor nutrition , improper utilization of restraints, neglect, over or under medication, lack of cleanliness, painful transfer techniques and other inappropriate conduct, Be watchful of your loved one’s care in all its respects; the vulnerability and fragility of nursing home patients cannot be overstated
2. Sexual abuse
This may be one of the most disturbing types of abuse, but sadly it is not unheard of by any means. Sexual abuse in nursing homes may come from another resident, visitors, or even staff members seeking non-consensual sex from a patient. Indeed, the question of consent is deeply troublesome; elderly nursing home patients most often clearly lack the capacity to consent and the defense that they have is frankly sickening. Warning signs of this type of abuse are cuts, bruises, or unexplained bleeding from the genital area or other areas of the body.
3. Neglect
The simplest definition of neglect in nursing homes is failing to provide a patient with what he or she needs. This can range from improper feeding to poor hygiene, a lackadaisical approach to medications, a leaky ceiling, an unkempt bed, fouled bed linens, accumulated trash or an uneven floor.One of the most recurring forms of neglect occurs when the patient should be repositioned or moved from time to time to prevent bed sores and the staff fails to act. The consequences can be fatal. If your loved one is bedridden, please be sure to confirm daily with the nursing home supervisor that the home’s bed sore prevention protocol is being followed. . Some warning signs of the other forms of neglect are dehydration, unexplained weight loss, and injuries from falling or improper care.
4. Financial Abuse
Economic exploitation is defined as any unauthorized use of funds. In a nursing home, this might take the form of a staff member or resident stealing money from a patient. While there may not be any specific warning signs to see, be sure to monitor bank accounts for uncharacteristic withdrawals of money or loss of property such as clothing, jewelry, or other valuables. And has difficult as it might be, remove jewelry or other precious items from your loved one’s room. Valuable items may very likely disappear if you don’t.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has suffered from nursing home abuse in Contra Costa county or in any California county, contact the Evans Law Firm elder attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at info@evanslaw.com. Our attorneys have experience with complex financial contracts and large insurance companies. We can help guide your case through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
