- Injuries or wounds in different stages of healing (bedsores)
- Unsatisfactory explanations for how injuries or wounds occurred
- Changes in the personality of your loved one, including social withdrawal or childlike behavior
- Apparent fear of physical contact
- Apparent fear of certain staff or residents in the nursing home
- Stained or torn clothing or bedding
- Signs of malnutrition
- Signs that your loved one has been restrained
- Staff members who do not want you to visit with your loved one alone
Would You Recognize if Your Loved One Suffered Nursing Home Abuse?
Everyone would like to think that they would be able to identify whether their loved one has been harmed by a staff member or another person at their nursing home. Unfortunately, many cases of nursing home abuse go undetected and unreported1 and victims often suffer in silence. There are many reasons why a nursing home abuse victim may not report an incident or pattern of abuse, including intimidation by the abuser or lack of mental capacity to do so. Because so many cases go unnoticed, the statistics regarding nursing home abuse are likely low estimates.
If you have a loved one in a nursing home, the most important step to keep them safe is to visit and talk to them often and let them know they can trust you if anything should be wrong. In addition, you should always be extremely vigilant regarding the common signs of nursing home abuse. These can include:
