If you have a relative living in a nursing home in Chicago, you are probably aware that abuse and neglect stand as serious issues that impact the lives of those residing in these facilities. While there are many obvious signs that can be used to detect when a loved one might be the victim of abuse or neglect, some of which you may be aware of, there are also some signs family members might mistake for something else.
Below we are highlighting three conditions that are common among the elderly that might be an indicator that your family member isn’t receiving the care you thought he or she was actually getting.
- Bruising. Many individuals often become prone to bruising as the older they get, the thinner their skin becomes. This often results in large black and blue bruises developing when they bump into something. While bruising is common among the elderly, says the Mayo Clinic, it could also signify something more. There are nursing home staff members who do not handle residents properly, safety, or carefully which often results in accidents happening and residents suffering bumps and bruises. And if this is the case, you may need to address the issue and possibly even relocate your loved one.
If you’re wondering how you can tell whether a bruise might be a sign of abuse or if it developed as a result of your loved one bumping their body or scratching their skin, you can always question the staff members who supervise and care for him or her. If you find they aren’t able to give you a reasonable answer, then perhaps you might consider looking more into the matter to see if there is an underlying issue.
- Your loved one is developing bedsores and they aren’t improving. It is very common for aging individuals, especially those who are bedbound to develop a bedsore. What isn’t is when these bedsores continue to develop and they only seem to get worse, not better. While it is known that the immune system of an aging individual is much weaker than that of someone who is in their 40’s and 50’s, this shouldn’t be an excuse for why your loved one’s bedsores aren’t improving. When you find that a bedsore isn’t healing but instead continues to worsen, it might not be a sign of a weakened immune system, rather, it could be a sign of neglect. There are instances where the nursing home staff in certain facilities neglect to clean and treat a bedsore only for it to become more severe, placing the residents’ health at risk.
Nursing home staff members are not only required to shift residents who are unable to move on their own to prevent a bedsore from developing, but they must also provide immediate care to the injured area to prevent from it worsening. When they fail to do so, they can be held liable for the pain and suffering they have caused your family member to experience.
- Your loved one shows a change in his or her behavior. When a nursing home resident becomes emotional, such as getting upset more frequently than usual, many might attribute this change in behavior to a health condition the individual is suffering from. While a change in behavior can be caused by a medical condition or can be a side effect of the medication they are taking, a rapid change in behavior is sometimes a sign of abuse. According to the National Institute on Aging, when an individual shows signs of depression, seems agitated, or even becomes withdrawn, this may be an indicator they are being abused.
In the event you suspect that your loved one might be the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, we encourage you to contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. today. Our team of knowledgeable and caring Chicago, IL nursing home abuse attorneys will guide you through this confusing time and explain to you what we can do in the event your relative is being mistreated.
You can contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at:
221 North La Salle Drive, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 1-312-384-1920
Website: www.dinizululawgroup.com
