Three Ways Your Loved One Could Be Abused Through Neglect At Their Nursing Home

Nursing home abuse is a subject that is not discussed enough, so there is a lack of knowledge over how exactly this type of abuse occurs. Often when people hear the word abuse, they think of physical abuse, such as assault. However, in nursing homes, abuse is most commonly seen as neglect. Nursing homes are usually operated on a profit basis, and understaffing nursing homes saves labor costs thereby increasing profits. The following are a few ways neglect can lead to the abuse of your loved one in a nursing home.

Neglecting personal hygiene

Your loved one is not bathed on a regular basis. This can lead to a variety of problems, but you may not notice it in the usual manner because your loved one is bathed on the day you decide to visit. Often you will notice bedsores that accumulate on your loved one's body. Although this is not directly due to a lack of cleanliness, it is due to not moving a person for long periods of time. The movement of a person's body from a daily washing will go a long way to preventing bedsores.

A lack of supervision

This type of abuse will manifest itself as injuries, and the most common will be a fall. Certain residents will need special precautions, such as bed rails when they are laying down. Other residents may need help getting out of bed and into a wheelchair or getting to their walker. Without supervision over a patient's physical needs, getting out of bed or any special need in moving about can result in injury from a fall. This will often mean a trip to the hospital, but with medical staff at the nursing home, a sprain may be treated at the nursing home facility.

A lack of fluids and nutrition

Neglect in this area can lead to an untimely death. If your loved one is not getting the proper amount of calories, you will notice it in the form of weight loss. Your loved one may be given enough food, but the staff neglects to pay attention to how much of it is being eaten. Lack of nutrition can lead to a number of health issues that a person has not had in the past. Dehydration is from a lack of water and can lead to an emergency trip to the hospital and even death. Signs of dehydration are dry skin and a dry mouth, along with a lethargic demeanor.

If you suspect your loved one is being abused through neglect, the first thing you should do is start asking questions to the staff of the nursing home. If you are not satisfied with the answers, you should consult with a nursing home abuse attorney.