When we place our senior loved ones in nursing homes, we expect them to be cared for. Many of these facilities have excellent reputations, and you may feel confident about your senior’s well-being during their stay. When you visit, you might see no signs of abuse, and you may assume that your senior is living a relatively peaceful and safe life. But what if your senior is being abused in ways you can’t see? The truth is that there are many forms of senior abuse that may be completely invisible to family members (1). You should be aware of these possibilities in order to ensure that misconduct doesn’t go unnoticed.
If you discover that your senior is being abused, you have every right to take legal action against negligent parties. You can do this by getting in touch with a qualified, experienced nursing home abuse attorney in Chicago. With their assistance, you can gather evidence, file lawsuits, and hold guilty parties accountable. Although finding evidence for invisible forms of misconduct can be challenging, it is by no means impossible. However, you’ll need to hire the best attorney you can find if you’re serious about achieving real results.
First, you’ll meet with your attorney during a consultation. During this initial meeting, you’ll have a chance to explain your specific situation, evidence of abuse you might already have, and various suspicions of abuse that you haven’t been able to prove just yet. With targeted, personalized legal advice, you can then take your first steps towards justice and a considerable financial compensation for everything your family has been forced to endure.
Psychological Abuse
One of the most common forms of “invisible” elder abuse is psychological abuse. Seniors are unfortunately extremely vulnerable to this type of misconduct, as they often suffer with significant cognitive decline. This makes them easy to trick, humiliate, and taunt. Tragically, many staff members at nursing homes seem to enjoy causing psychological torment to seniors on a daily basis.
“Gaslighting” is another common form of psychological abuse at nursing homes. This is when individuals try to fool victims into thinking they’re going insane. For example, a staff member may pretend to have never met a senior before, despite working with them on a daily basis. This leads the senior to doubt their own sanity, and it can lead to serious emotional and mental strife. Sometimes, staff members do this on purpose in order to convince a senior that they are dealing with dementia. This may in turn become an excuse to take away their rights and freedoms – perhaps leading to other types of abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Another form of abuse that typically leaves no scars is sexual abuse. Like it or not, many seniors get sexually abused at facilities. This might occur in a number of different ways. For example, a staff member may directly abuse a senior, or they may allow a senior to be abused by other patients. Either way, the facility is guilty of allowing this conduct to occur. Seniors who suffer sexual abuse may also struggle with psychological trauma. Sexual abuse can be very difficult to spot, as seniors often refuse to talk about these traumatic events.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is another type of “invisible” misconduct that a senior may experience at a nursing home (2). Unfortunately, seniors are quite vulnerable to scams, swindles, and other schemes that rob them of their life savings. Staff members may try to win their trust, getting close to them before stealing their identity, encouraging them to sign questionable documents, or simply stealing items from their rooms. This type of misconduct not only affects the senior, but also their family. If their life savings are stolen, their family members may be left with nothing to inherit. This is one of the main reasons why it’s so important to work with a qualified attorney and prevent nursing home abuse whenever possible.
Where Can I Find a Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Near Me?
If you’re ready to start working with an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney, look no further than Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. Over the years, we have worked with numerous families dealing with the tragic reality of nursing home abuse. We know that this type of abuse isn’t always easy to spot, and you have every right to explore your legal options if you suspect this is taking place without anyone’s knowledge. Book your consultation today, and we can discuss how to collect evidence, file lawsuits, and hold negligent parties accountable. This can result in a considerable financial settlement that benefits the entire family. Reach out now.
Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.
(312) 384-1920
221 North LaSalle, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601
Sources
- https://www.wadvocates.org/find-help/about-domestic-violence/elder-abuse/
- https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/elder-abuse/types/financial-abuse/
