(Newswire.net — March 22, 2022) — Spotting the warning signs of abuse of the elderly becomes a duty of care for close friends and family members. According to the information posted by NIA, elderly abuse can happen to anyone – even normally dominant personalities. Nursing homes and other assisted living residences may generate multiple schemes to prey on elderly victims, and nobody is truly safe.
Abuse can happen at home, a friend’s house, group activities, and assisted living facilities. Living facility abuse is especially heinous because victims become trapped in constant contact with their abusers. The types of abuse include physical, emotional, financial, sexual abuse, and simple neglect.
Top Warning Signs of Physical Abuse
Some elderly victims don’t talk about their abuse because of fear of reprisals or embarrassment. That’s why it’s critical to recognize these warning signs of physical abuse:
- Black eyes, bruises, lacerations, and skin signs of the use of restraints
- Frequent sprains, limping, bone dislocations, or internal injuries
- Bleeding, open cuts, punctures, untreated injuries, and evidence of trauma in various stages of healing
- Broken bones, bones fractures, and missing teeth
- Broken eyeglasses or sunglasses, torn clothing, and other signs of punishment
- Overuse or underuse of medication confirmed by lab reports
- Sudden changes in personality or behavior
- Caregiver refusal to allow the victim visitors
- Reports of the victim about abuse
Physical trauma is the easiest method of detecting abuse, but other forms of abuse can be just as damaging to older people.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the following signs suggest emotional abuse:
- Severe personality changes like apologizing constantly
- Becoming emotionally upset or highly agitated
- Showing signs of withdrawal from social activities
- Abnormal adult behavior like constantly rocking, biting, making sucking noises, etc.
- Witnessing a caregiver’s emotional blackmail or attempt to isolate and control the behavior of an elderly victim
- Changes in the victim’s sleep habits
- Becoming depressed or anxious
- The victim’s report of emotional abuse
Signs of Financial Abuse and Neglect
Neglect has become one of the top concerns for nursing home residents. The Covid-19 crisis forced many assisted living patients into isolation. Many older adults routinely suffer neglect that includes unsanitary living conditions, untreated bedsores, and unmonitored health problems. Older people can be found living without water, heat, or electricity. Relatives and professional medical staff often delay changing soiled bedding and clothing.
Experts agree that financial abuse is quite common among the elderly. This includes forging Social Security checks and using an older adult’s credit cards with or without authorization. In addition, the elderly are often victims of identity theft when friends or acquaintances use their information without permission to apply for credit, bank accounts, etc. Some criminals even try to forge ownership of a home or business.
Most victims of financial abuse are women, but the problem is also common with men. Check on a suspected victim’s bank accounts, will, insurance policies, and home title to ensure everything’s in order. Commonly, even trusted friends might convince the elderly to fund social events or invest in some get-rich-quick scheme.
Suing for Compensation
You can sue a nursing home if you have been abused or enlist a relative or trusted friend to help you prepare your lawsuit. Hiring a Baltimore nursing home abuse lawyer can help you take control of your life. With proper investigation, expert testimonies, witnesses, and rigorous documentation, an attorney can help a senior regain dignity and receive compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
If someone you know is suffering from nursing home abuse, you can call 911 for a life-threatening situation. The National Center on Elder Abuse helps neighborhood organizations that promote safe neighborhoods for the elderly and disabled. In addition, the NCEA offers further education and information on best practices for protecting the elderly from abuse. In some cases, family members can file criminal charges and bring major lawsuits against the facility, its board, managers, etc.
About the author:
As a journalist, Leland Bengtson dedicated most of his career to law reporting. His greatest satisfaction is to convey legal matters to the public in a language that they can understand. He is active on various platforms and media outlets, writing about common legal issues that people confront every day. While medical malpractice is his strong suit, Leland covers plenty of other topics, including personal injury cases, family law, and other civil and even criminal legal matters.