Do You Suspect Neglect at Your Loved One’s Nursing Home?

Whether it’s your parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or spouse, having a loved one in a nursing home is an experience filled with emotional highs and lows. But no matter what the circumstance is for you and your family, your loved one should never have to suffer abuse or neglect. If you are concerned that your loved one’s nursing care is not up to standard, or you suspect that neglect is taking place, it is vital that you investigate right away.

Start by spending more in-person time with them and discuss their daily experiences and schedules. This can help you identify the common signs of nursing home neglect and elder abuse. You should also speak with the staff and attending physicians about your concerns as well.

Continue reading to learn what signs to look for that suggest abuse or neglect is taking place, and what you can and should do about it.

Indianapolis Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Indianapolis Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer 317-881-2700

Nursing Home Neglect Cases

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect is far too common. There are many types of neglect and abuse that can happen at a nursing home or senior care center, and they usually present themselves in tell-tale signs. However, elders don’t always speak up and notify someone when they are experiencing abuse, neglect, or any other kinds of problems in their care home. When elders are abused or neglected, they often hide it, while many others don’t even realize it’s happening to them. But if you keep a keen eye on your loved one and their habits, you should be able to identify the many signs and symptoms of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Common Types of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse:

▷ Wrongful Death
▷ Moving Injuries
▷ Inappropriate Use of Restraints
▷ Physical Assault
▷ Sexual Assault
▷ Not Enough Staff
▷ Emotional or Verbal Abuse
▷ Medication Malpractice
▷ Failure to Use Bed Rails Causing Falls
▷ Failure to Remove Elders from Wheelchairs Properly
▷ Prolonged Isolation or Abandonment
▷ Neglect (allowing/ignoring self-harm, etc.)
▷ Hygienic Neglect
▷ Unqualified Staff
▷ Financial Abuse
▷ Inattentive Staff (slip and falls, leaving the facility, simply not caring, etc.)

How to Identify the Signs of Nursing Home Neglect and Elder Abuse:

▷ Staff advising of Self-Harming/Self-Abuse
▷ Depression
▷ Mood Instability
▷ Personality Changes
▷ Poor Hygiene
▷ Financial Inconsistencies/Problems
▷ Missing Money
▷ Malnutrition
▷ Extreme Weight Loss
▷ Severe Dehydration
▷ Bed Sores
▷ Orthopedic Fractures
▷ Unexplained Injuries or Bruises
▷ Missing Valuables
▷ Prolonged Isolation or Abandonment

What to Do if Your Loved One is Showing Signs of Elder Abuse or Neglect

If you suspect your elder is being abused, neglected, or mistreated at their assisted living center, your first step is to contact a seasoned and trusted Indiana nursing home neglect lawyer to learn your rights and best course of action. They have the resources and experience to implement proper investigation, information gathering, and questioning that will lead to proving fault and damages. You could obtain substantial compensation for your loved one’s losses, including pain and suffering and mental anguish. You should always take photos and keep notes on names of persons involved, dates and issues to go over with your attorney.

Are you ready to obtain justice for your abused or neglected loved one? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 and schedule a free consultation with an experienced nursing home neglect lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent clients all throughout the state, and never collect attorney fees unless we prevail for you.

You Should Read:

FAQS Regarding Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Are Bed Rails a Safety Concern for the Elderly?
Fractured Hip Injuries and Elderly Slip and Fall Accidents

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
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What To Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

When you suspect misconduct or abuse in your loved one’s care facility, it is important to take action fast before any more harm can be done. But many people are insure how to investigate or report nursing home abuse to the proper authorities.

If you are concerned that a loved one is being mistreated or neglected at their live-in care facility, continue reading to learn how to spot the signs, where to report your concerns, and what legal options you might have for recovering compensation for your and your loved one’s damages and losses.

Indianapolis Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers
Indianapolis Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers 317-881-2700

Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home and live-in care facility abuse can come in many forms and in various environments. However, virtually all forms of nursing home abuse fall into one or more of four primary categories: financial abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and financial exploitation. Within these primary categories lies a long list of possible misconducts and neglectful actions.

Most often, neglect plays a major role in all these situations; and although it can also come in many forms, neglect is basically a failure to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and/or health care for a resident. It is also important to note that such situations of live-in care facility neglect can happen to non-elderly individuals, such as those with mental and physical handicaps and special needs.

Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

According to a study conducted and documented by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) in 2000, of all the nursing home residents surveyed, 44% claimed they had experienced some form of abuse or maltreatment within the past 12 months. In the same study, more than 95% of the residents interviewed stated they have witnessed some form of neglect or suffered neglect themselves within the past year. Even more troubling, the National Center on Elder Abuse also reported that 1 out of 24 cases of nursing home neglect and abuse are actually reported.

Signs of Nursing Home Mistreatment

There are numerous signs to look out for if you suspect that a resident is being mistreated or neglected in some way at their live-in care facility. Signs of physical or sexual abuse are easier to identify, as they often come in the form of bruises, wounds, broken bones, depression, fear, anxiety, social withdrawal, and even unexplained sexually transmitted diseases. Mental and emotional abuse are a bit more challenging to spot unless you take a closer look. Signs of emotional abuse can reveal itself in the form of fear, anxiety, depression, mood swings, lack of energy, withdrawal from social circles, and similar uncharacteristic changes in behavior.

Signs of financial abuse and exploitation can also come in many forms. If a care giver withholds affordable amenities and comforts in their dwelling, or has control over one’s finances but fails to provide for their ward, it is a form of abuse. Other signs a victim might show include uncharacteristically excessive gift-giving, financial payouts for companionship, signing over power of attorney or will without understanding the transaction, and similar actions.

Basic neglect entails conditions and actions such as:

Failure to provide…

► Basic hygiene or appropriate clothing;
► Appropriate clothing;
► Nutritional food;
► Medical aids (i.e. Glasses, cane, walker, dentures, hearing aid, or medications);
► Clean and safe dwelling;
► Adequate facilities (i.e. kitchen appliances, HVAC, plumbing, electricity)

Actions such as….

► Leaving a resident with dementia unsupervised;
► Confining a resident in bed without care;
► Not treating bed sores or pressure ulcers;

How to Report Nursing Home Abuse

If you feel that your loved one’s situation or condition is an emergency, contact 911 right away.

If you strongly suspect that your loved one is not being adequately cared for in their nursing home or live-in care facility, your first priority is to get in touch with a professional who can represent your family’s best interests. You can choose to contact Adult Protective Services (APS), or visit the National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence website for a list of elder abuse reporting hotlines in Indiana. You also have the option of using the U.S. Administration on Aging Eldercare Locator, which can connect you to services for elder care and more.

Once you know your loved one is safe, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer for information on your rights to recovering compensation for your damages and losses, such as medical bills, hospital expenses, lost wages, prolonged therapy, restitution, and more.

Indiana Elder Abuse Lawyers You Can Trust

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with a licensed Indiana nursing home neglect lawyer about your loved one’s live-in care facility conditions and experiences. Attorneys Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek are well-versed and experienced in elder abuse law. We offer free initial consultations to discuss your case and determine if you are entitled to remuneration for your family’s damages. Also, we never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you!

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

FAQS Regarding Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing Home Neglect Indianapolis Indiana

Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers 317-881-2700

Nursing homes are private institutions that provide shelter, food, and care for the sick and elderly. Since nursing homes do not actually provide complex medical treatment, they are not considered hospitals. However, many institutions could be considered as a medical care facility for certain purposes, depending on the statutes that govern their operation.

There are four different types of nursing home facilities that offer separate “levels” of care for residents. From the lowest level of nursing care to the highest, these include adult boarding homes, residential care facilities, intermediate care facilities, and skilled nursing care facilities. Depending on how a nursing home is classified, different standards will apply. For example, state and federal governments regulate skilled and intermediate nursing care facilities since they are generally participants in Medicaid and Medicare programs. All nursing care facilities are mandated to build and implement programs, written policies, and procedures forbidding maltreatment and abuse to its residents.

Overcome the Fear of Placing a Loved One in Nursing Care

If you are currently considering a nursing care facility for your sick or aged loved one, you may be afraid to commit out of fear that they may be mistreated, exploited, or ignored. For this reason, it is important to educate yourself in order to feel safer about placing your loved one in a nursing home. Also, be sure to research several facilities for a better chance at finding the institution that can properly meet and exceed their medical care or nursing needs.

You are also likely to have many questions regarding your concerns and more, and you are not alone. Below you will find a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding nursing home abuse and neglect. Use this information to protect your loved one against mistreatment and more, and ensure a loving and enriched retirement for those you love so much.

What Behaviors are Considered Neglect in a Nursing Home?

When a nursing care facility fails to provide sufficient services that are essential to the health and safety of their residents, whether intentional or not, they are guilty of neglect. These services include food, shelter, safety, supervision, clothing, medical care, and more.

If a Resident Complains or Accuses a Nursing Home of Mistreatment or Neglect, What Will Happen Next?

Every state has a system in place for reporting allegations of nursing care abuse, exploitation, or neglect. This system involves an investigation that consists of interviews with the alleged victim, their family, and the staff. If maltreatment is suspected, Adult Protective Services will enter the scene and provide their assistance. It is important for the victim and family to retain the services of a licensed personal injury attorney before the investigation begins. This will ensure just compensation for any losses and damages caused by the mistreatment or neglect.

What are the Rights of Nursing Home Residents?

The law, both federal and state depending, provides nursing home residents several rights. These rights include, but are not limited to, being free of verbal, mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. They also have the right to not be subjected to purposes. Although a resident can be retrained by doctor’s orders if they pose a threat to themselves and others, unnecessary physical or chemical restraint intended for disciplinary purposes is illegal. Nursing home residents also have a right to a safe and comfortable environment at all times, proper medical care, and sufficient food, clothing, hygienic cleaning, and more. Talk to a nursing home neglect lawyer for details about resident rights’.

Can a Resident Still Sue a Nursing Home for Maltreatment if They Have No Contract With Them?

If a nursing home resident does not have an official contract with the facility, and they are subjected to maltreatment or neglect, they still have the legal right to pursue a lawsuit and injury claim against the facility. There are numerous legal theories that allow nursing home neglect victims, or survivors of victims, to sue the home even without a contract.

Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers

Personal Injury Attorney Indianapolis

Personal Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for information about nursing home neglect and abuse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorneys Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek have decades of trial and litigation experience representing victims of nursing home abuse. They offer free initial consultations to hear your story and determine your eligibility for filing a claim, and never collect attorney fees unless they win your settlement. Call us at 317-881-2700 to schedule an appointment with a seasoned nursing home abuse lawyer in Indianapolis, IN today.