How Can I Tell if Nursing Home Abuse is Occurring if My Loved One Has Dementia?

In some instances, nursing home abuse is immediately obvious to residents’ family members. In other cases, the signs are subtle and may not be seen for months or even years. In these instances, families may not realize mistreatment is occurring unless their loved ones tell them about it.

But what happens if your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? Diseases that affect the brain and mind can make it difficult or even impossible for nursing home residents to alert their family members about any potential mistreatment from staff members or caregivers.

If you have a loved one with dementia living in a nursing home, these tips can help you identify potential signs of abuse.

5 Potential Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Detecting signs of abuse in a loved one with dementia is difficult due to the cognitive and communicative limitations they may face. However, several physical, emotional, and behavioral cues can indicate possible abuse or neglect:

1. Unexplained Injuries: Pay close attention to any bruises, cuts, burns, or fractures that appear without a clear cause or believable explanation. These can indicate physical abuse, especially if staff members don’t know how the injuries happened or provide inconsistent stories about their origins. Even minor injuries should raise concerns if they occur frequently or appear in unusual places.
   
2. Sudden Weight Loss or Dehydration: If you observe rapid weight loss or signs of dehydration, like dry mouth, cracked lips, or unusual fatigue, this could be a result of neglect in nutrition and hydration. Dementia patients are especially vulnerable, as they may not remember to eat or drink without assistance. Poor nutrition or hydration can quickly worsen their health, and it can be a medical emergency for many residents.
   
3. Poor Hygiene: Signs of dirty clothing, soiled bedding, unbrushed hair, or foul odors can suggest your loved one isn’t receiving proper hygiene from nursing home caregivers. Neglecting these basic needs is a form of abuse, as it compromises the resident's dignity and overall health. Regular hygiene care is a fundamental part of proper nursing home care.
   
4. Increased Agitation or Anxiety: If your loved one seems unusually agitated, fearful, or anxious around particular caregivers or during specific times, it could indicate emotional or physical abuse. These changes in behavior might be their way of expressing discomfort or fear when they cannot communicate directly. Take notice of any patterns and speak to staff or management about your concerns. You should also keep copies of all communications with staff made for your records in case they are needed as evidence.
   
5. Social Withdrawal: A sudden withdrawal from social activities can be a sign of emotional abuse, neglect, or depression. Residents with dementia are often unable to explain why they’ve become withdrawn, so behavioral changes like this are often the best indicator of their emotional state. Social withdrawal should be addressed promptly, as it can lead to further deterioration in mental and cognitive health.

How Can a Lawyer Help if I Suspect My Loved One with Dementia is Being Abused?

If you suspect your loved one with dementia is being abused in their nursing home, contacting an experienced Ohio nursing home abuse lawyer may be the most important step you can take when it comes to protecting their health and your family’s rights.

An experienced attorney or law firm will:

• Investigate Your Suspicions: A lawyer can gather evidence to support your allegations of abuse or neglect. Important evidence may include your loved one’s medical records, witness statements concerning mistreatment, and nursing home facility inspection reports.
  
• Advocate for Immediate Protection: If the abuse continues, an attorney can take immediate legal action to protect your loved one. This might include filing a court order to transfer them to a safer facility or ensuring they receive the necessary medical treatment.
  
• Hold the Facility Accountable: A lawyer can help you file a lawsuit against the nursing home or specific staff members responsible for the abuse. This legal action can cover damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other related costs, sending a strong message against mistreatment.
  
• Navigate Complex Legal Issues: Nursing home abuse cases involve complex legal and medical issues, especially when dementia limits the victim’s ability to testify or even describe what happened to them. An experienced lawyer can handle these complexities by working with experts to prove abuse and describe its impact on your loved one.
  
• Provide Peace of Mind: Having a lawyer on your side handling the legal aspects makes it easier to focus exclusively on supporting your loved one during this difficult time. Knowing you have a legal advocate can bring peace of mind, as you’ll have someone with experience in this exact situation fighting for your loved one’s rights and safety.

Contact Our Ohio Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Today

Nursing home abuse and neglect are dire issues that can cause serious problems for victims and their families. If you suspect your loved one is being abused or mistreated in their nursing home, it’s important to get help immediately.

At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, our Ohio nursing home abuse attorneys have decades of experience investigating, proving, building, and negotiating nursing home cases on behalf of families and residents throughout the state.

We hold negligent nursing home owners, managers, and employees accountable when they fail to provide the care residents are required to receive. Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn how we can help.

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