After placing a loved one in a nursing home, the last thing the family expects is for the individual to be abused. Even so, the issue can occur in just about any setting. Understanding the forms that the abuse can take makes it easier to determine what course of action should be taken. A nursing home abuse attorney can help loved ones understand what legally constitutes abuse, and provide suggestion for how to pursue the case. Here are some examples.
Neglect
As the nursing home abuse attorney will explain, the most common form of abuse is neglect. Essentially, it is the failure of the nursing home staff to ensure that the resident receives meals on time, changed linens when the need arises, and help with the basics of personal hygiene.
Intimidation Tactics
With this type of abuse, events take place that trigger fear in the resident. The actions may be in the form of verbal communications intended to silence the resident, or a general attitude that causes them to fear some sort of consequences for seeking the promised level of care.
Physical Abuse
Physical acts may also be employed as a way to cause the resident to fear the potential for bodily injury. This could take the form of unnecessary roughness when bathing the resident, jerking the individual out of bed and into a wheelchair, or possibly slapping the patient in an effort to gain more control.
Sexual Abuse
Residents may become the victims of sexual predators and feel as if they have no recourse but to submit. Typically, there is some threat involved that is intended to prevent the victim from opening up about the ongoing abuse.
When signs of abuse begin to manifest, there is no time to waste. Call the team at Edwards & Bullard Law immediately and find out what can be done. In many cases, it is possible to make plans to remove the loved one from the abusive setting, issue restraining orders to prevent abusers from gaining access to the individual, and work closely with the authorities to ensure that others do not undergo the same type of treatment. You can also connect them on Facebook for more updates.