Nursing homes abuse is an all-too-common problem across the nation that leaves elders vulnerable, injured, and emotionally scarred. Studies have shown that most perpetrators are the caregiver or a family member. Incidents of abuse can usually stem from poorly trained staff members who violently lash out on residents or fail horribly to meet their needs. Fortunately, families have many options to report nursing home abuse or negligence.
Families can report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation by contacting:
- Local police or law enforcement
- Nursing home administrators
- Medical expert, such as doctors or nurses
- Long-term care Ombudsman
- Senior HelpLine
- Illinois Department of Public Health
- Healthcare and Family Services for Supportive Living Facility Complaints
- Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Unit
If you suspect abuse, it’s important to contact someone right away rather than letting a loved one stay in a possible abusive situation. Nursing home abuse often goes unreported due to fear, embarrassment, or because a resident is unable to communicate how they feel. Unfortunately, nursing home administrative staff are not always responsive to complaints. Some administrators may not want to report cases of abuse or neglect to the authorities out of fear that their nursing home will undergo a costly investigation. If you suspect that someone is in immediate danger, call 911 immediately – don’t wait until a tragedy occurs.
Long-term care Ombudsman are advocates for nursing home residents who are trained to assist people with concerns about the long-term care system, in which they work with various professionals to resolve complaints. Their primary goal is to improve the overall quality of care for the elderly.
An ombudsperson handles a variety of concerns, including:
- Abuse or neglect
- Lack of respect for residents
- Poor quality of care
- Improper discharge or transfer
You can assume that an elder individual has been abused if there are sudden changes in their behavior and personality, or tension between the elder and their caregiver. If you suspect abuse, look for additional signs of abuse and take pictures to document for reference.
According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, signs and symptoms of abuse can include:
- Physical abuse
- Unexplained broken bones, dislocations, or sprains
- Bruising, scars or welts
- Failure of proper medication
- Signs of restraint, i.e. rope marks on an elder’s wrist
- Broken glasses
- Caregiver refusing others to be alone with the elderly person
- Emotional abuse
- Unusual behavior in the elderly person that could resemble symptoms of dementia, including mumbling, rocking back and forth, or sucking one’s thumb
- Belittling, controlling, or threatening behavior of the caregiver
- Financial exploitation
- Change in the elderly person’s financial situation
- Unexplained withdrawals from the elderly person’s bank accounts
- Changes in power of attorney, life insurance policies, property titles or wills
- ATM withdrawals, especially when a senior is bedridden, and they couldn’t have done it themselves
- Lack of medical care in spite of having money to afford it
- Adding names to accounts or signatures to the elder’s credit cards
- Neglect
- Unsafe living conditions, such as lack of heat or lack of running water
- Not bathing the person
- Soiled bed clothing, dirty clothes, bugs or dirty conditions
- Presence of bedsores from not turning the patient regularly
- Unusual weight loss or dehydration
- Leaving the elderly person alone in a public location
- Sexual abuse
- Stained, bloody, or torn underwear
- Bruising near genitals or other unexplained infections
- Unrelated genital bleeding to a medical condition
- Healthcare Fraud
- Lack of adequate training to the staff
- Insufficient amount of staff to care for the elder
- Evidence of poor care
- Evidence of getting too little or too much medication
- Duplicate bills for the same services or devices
Victims of nursing home abuse or neglect should not be left to defend themselves – they need the support and help of staff, caregivers, family members, doctors, and other residents to report abuse to the authorities. If you or a loved one has experienced abuse or neglect at the hands of a caregiver, you will need an experienced nursing home neglect and abuse attorney. Our team has proven success in nursing home cases and will use our extensive legal experience to help you navigate the process and to get you full and fair compensation for you or your loved one’s injuries. To receive a free consultation, please call (312) 384-1920 or visit our website.
