Is My Elderly Loved One Being Abused?
Nursing home abuse and neglect have continued to rise in recent years. It has become a serious problem that affects thousands of people living in nursing homes. But why are these abuses on the rise?
The truth is that most owners of these nursing homes are more interested in making profits rather than caring for nursing home residents.
Most of the nursing homes are understaffed hence giving the few nurses working a lot of pressure and stress. The nurses and other employees instead turn their frustrations to the nursing home residents.
The unfortunate part is that the neglect and abuse happening in nursing homes rarely get reported.
Most of the cases are either covered up or ignored by the nurses and staff. It is important to contact a nursing home attorney in Chicago as soon as you realize that your loved one is being mistreated.
Sometimes residents may not even know if they are being abused or may not know what steps to take.
Nursing home abuse comprises things such as the battery, physical assault, sexual assault, rape, sexual battery, or prolonged deprivation of food and water.
In the recent past, there have been many reports of understaffing in most nursing homes. There have also been reports of the use of psychiatric medication to restrain patients.
The use of any medication without the authorization of a physician may also be considered as nursing home abuse.
You can talk to Chicago nursing home lawyers and institute criminal charges once you discover that your loved one was subjected to such treatment.
How would you know that your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home?
It can be very difficult to notice or detect nursing home abuse or neglect. Diseases such as dementia can cover the effects of nursing home abuse. On the other hand, you may mistake the advancement of the disease for abuse or neglect.
But what can you do to ensure that your loved one is protected?
Before engaging a nursing home neglect attorney in Chicago, you should look out for the following signs:
Physical signs:
- Dehydration
- Open wounds, cuts, bruises
- Malnutrition
- Burns
- Malnutrition
Emotional signs:
- Agitation or emotional upset
- Sudden behavior change
- Unusual communication or extremely withdrawn
- Dementia or being confused
- Unusual behavior such as biting and sucking
Neglect:
- Overmedication or withholding of medicine
- Poor personal hygiene
- Incorrect body position
- Unclean conditions
You are the one who understands your loved one best. If you notice any of the above signs, the best thing is to talk to Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers for legal action.
Below are some of the basic rights your loved one is entitled to:
Access and visitation
Nursing homes don’t have a right to keep residents from seeing their loved ones, a physician, a resident advocate, a services provider, or a state or federal representative.
Confidentiality
Every nursing home resident has a right to keep his or her clinical and personal records confident
Accommodation of need
Nursing homes are supposed to align their rules and services to the individual needs of residents. For example, residents can keep their personal clothes or possessions as long as they don’t pose any risk to their health or safety.
Access to quality care
Nursing homes must provide quality care to all residents without bias. It doesn’t matter whether the resident is paying his or her bills privately or from Medicaid or Medicare.
Why it is important to hire a lawyer
Working with a Chicago personal injury lawyer is very important when dealing with a nursing home injury case. This is because of the difficulty associated with determining whether abuse or neglect actually happened.
Trapp & Geller boasts of highly experienced personal injury attorneys in Chicago. You can reach out any time you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected.