Nursing home neglect comes with a variety of symptoms. Some residents will see their general hygiene decline if they do not get help with showers, changing clothes and brushing their teeth. Others will see their emotional health dip as they feel neglected, forgotten and ignored by the staff.
One key thing to look out for, though, is the presence of physical injuries. While accidents do happen, neglect can make them more likely. If there is any sort of pattern — similar injuries happening repeatedly — then that is a serious red flag.
The problem is that many people who are being neglected will still try to do necessary things on their own. This could include tasks like getting out of bed, walking to dinner or taking a shower. Even though they have a physical need for assistance, people do not want to put these things off, and they may even overestimate their own abilities.
That is when accidents happens. The staff must be there to provide proper assistance. Again, this is not to say that the staff can prevent all accidents at all times. Any injury does not mean an elderly person is being neglected. But proper care should lower the odds of an injury, while neglect increases them dramatically.
Do you think that your loved one is being neglected in a nursing home? If so, make sure that you know all of the legal options you have. When this neglect leads to serious and even fatal injuries, you and your family must know what next steps you can take.
