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Elderly Abuse: Intervention And Legal Action

Elder Law Lawyer

Most of us don’t want to believe that abuse could be happening to our senior relatives. The elderly population is more vulnerable to mistreatment because they are less able to protect themselves if needed, and are afraid to speak out because they won’t be believed. Family members can empower themselves with knowledge and understand what the warning signs are so that they can take action right away if needed. Anyone who is worried about their senior relative and the level of care they are receiving at the nursing home is encouraged to learn about what steps they can take next, in order to handle the situation properly and carefully so that repeated incidents do not occur. As an elder law lawyer explains, here are signs of what abuse or neglect in a nursing home can look like. 

Nursing home abuse is a serious offense that can quickly worsen and even turn fatal if it is not stopped in time. There are several ways that you can report nursing home abuse, from notifying your lawyer to contacting local agencies, and filing a report with the police. It’s important to know what your options are in reporting nursing home abuse so that you can reach out to the best resources possible who can help your loved one get to a safer place. Law enforcement can file criminal charges for emotional abuse or harassment, homicide or assault, sexual coercion, or financial exploitation.

Nursing home neglect and abuse is happening at alarming rates. It has gotten worse during the covid pandemic, and no one wants to imagine that their vulnerable relative is being mistreated. But knowing what to do if you suspect abuse is happening is the best defense in preventing it from continuing. What to do if you suspect nursing home abuse is a topic that most people are just not prepared for. If you have a loved one who is living in a nursing home facility, you want to assume that they’re going to be taken care of properly. Tragically, this is not always the case.

If you believe that nursing home abuse has occurred, call 911 in an emergency, gather evidence, document your loved one’s symptoms and signs, and then contact a nursing home law firm for further assistance, such as Carpenter & Lewis PLLC. If there is an individual person who has inflicted the abuse, they can be held accountable by law. If the facility committed the abuse or neglect in the form of lack of proper medical attention or procedures, this can be part of the lawsuit you file. Essentially, an elderly person who is abused and suffers injury because of it could receive financial compensation for the suffering they went through, while holding the offenders liable for their actions. Unfortunately, even though you want to place your full trust in a nursing home, there may be a reason not to. If you are worried about your elderly relative, there are legal remedies available and immediate intervention is strongly advised for the health and wellbeing of the resident.