Legal Help for Nursing Home Abuse Victims
Nursing home abuse is a serious issue affecting many vulnerable people. It takes many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect. This abuse can occur in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other care facilities. Recognizing the warning signs is crucial to protecting your elderly loved one.
Warning Signs of Abuse
Be vigilant for visible injuries, emotional distress, sudden changes in financial status, or sexually transmitted diseases. These signs may indicate that a nursing home resident is experiencing abuse or neglect. Family members should report suspected abuse to the proper authorities immediately to prevent further harm and ensure the resident’s safety.
Legal Rights and Protections
Federal regulations and state laws, such as those in Hawaii, protect nursing home residents from abuse and neglect. These laws require facilities to meet specific standards of care. Nursing home staff and caregivers must ensure residents’ well-being, providing for their basic needs and safeguarding their health by preventing abuse and neglect. Facilities that fail to meet these standards can face penalties and legal action.
Taking Legal Action
If you suspect a loved one is experiencing abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility, contact an attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse cases. A lawyer can help you understand your legal rights, including the right to file a lawsuit against the facility or individuals responsible for the abuse. This can include seeking compensation for injuries, emotional distress, and other damages.
Reporting and Resources
Report any concerns about nursing home abuse to Adult Protective Services or the police. These departments can investigate and take appropriate action, such as removing the resident from the facility and pursuing criminal charges against the abusers. Additionally, many law offices offer a free consultation to discuss your case and determine the best course of action.
Supporting Victims and Families
Supporting a loved one who has experienced nursing home abuse involves more than legal action. It requires ensuring their safety and well-being, which may include relocating them to a safer environment or arranging for medical treatment and counseling. Families should focus on providing emotional support, listening to their loved one’s concerns, and reassuring them that they are not alone.
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse falls into four categories – physical, emotional, financial and sexual abuse. Here are some examples of nursing home abuse:
- Assault and battery
- Lack of food, water and medical care
- Not responding when a resident calls for help
- Poor hygiene, bed sores, leaving a person too long between changes of clothes and bedding
- Infestations including bed bugs
- Inadequate fall protection, leading to a fall
- Social isolation, inability to move throughout the facility and interact with others
- Harassment, threats, emotional abuse, bullying, taunting, psychological mistreatment
- Preventing family from visiting
- Sexual abuse
- Financial exploitation, embezzlement
- Inappropriate use of restraints
It can be hard to identify abuse in a nursing home. The victim may not be able to tell someone else that there is something wrong. They may worry about retaliation. Caregivers may have confused the resident and denied that there is a problem.
When you have a feeling that something is wrong, or you know that abuse is occurring, our Hawaii nursing home abuse lawyers can help.