Sending your elderly loved one to a nursing home can initially seem like a last resort. But, if you don’t have the time or resources required to look after them on a continual basis, it could be the best option for them and your family. The whole purpose of making this decision is to make sure that your loved one will be taken care of and supervised during the remainder of their life.
As a Miami nursing home neglect law firm, we know that many elderly individuals suffer from various forms of nursing home abuse. If you are unaware of how your loved one can be abused in their nursing home, or if you’re noticing any strange behaviors, keep reading.
1. Bedsores
Pressure ulcers, typically known as bedsores, are not normal occurrences due to age. Instead, these sores are attributed to prolonged pressure on the body. Nurses, nursing assistants, and physicians can easily help prevent bedsores by ensuring that their patients are well fed, hydrated, consistently repositioned, and kept clean. Therefore, bed sores are primarily attributed to inadequate nursing home care.
2. Dehydration
When an individual does not receive the water they need, they are at risk for significant medical issues. Particularly, older people that aren’t properly hydrated can become irritable and confused.
They can also develop irregular breathing, experience low blood pressure, and become delirious or unconscious. Severe and long-term dehydration can lead to deadly health conditions such as coma, seizures, brain swelling, kidney failure, and death.
3. Malnutrition
Malnutrition can occur in elderly individuals who aren’t fed properly. Everyone depends on a well-balanced diet to lead a healthy life. Older people that may have existing health conditions need a healthy diet in order to survive.
An ill-balanced diet could exacerbate any existing medical conditions, and it can also result in reduced mobility and cognitive abilities. If malnutrition continues to plague your loved one, they could ultimately perish.
4. Improper Use of Restraints
In specific situations deemed necessary by nursing home management, restraints are placed on residents to promote safety. For example, to help a resident avoid falling out of a wheelchair, they may be placed on a restraint.
However, the improper use of restraints can cause more harm than good. Unnecessarily restraining residents for long periods of time can cause mental anguish, physical pain, bed sores, suffering, and death.
5. Sexual Abuse
Elderly residents are always at risk of sexual abuse due to their inability of protecting themselves. This can cause a physically stronger person to take advantage of an elderly individual, even in a sexual manner. Sexual abuse can have lasting mental consequences for its victims. Long-term sexual abuse can even lead to death.
Unfortunately, there are many crooked individuals that aspire to abuse defenseless elderly people. All of the forms of abuse above are common in thousands of nursing homes throughout the United States.
If your loved one is being abused in a nursing home, it’s essential that you consult with a skilled nursing home abuse attorney to learn the best course of action for obtaining legal retribution.