IS IT ELDER ABUSE OR OLD AGE?
Posted on Friday, June 24th, 2016 at 2:22 am
Putting your loved one in a nursing home creates a fear of neglect and nursing home abuse that never goes away. This is regardless of whether the nursing home has an excellent reputation or not. The key to preventing and/or stopping elder abuse and neglect is maintaining a close eye on your loved one. You need to closely follow the care provided by the nursing home.
It is easy to mistake changes due to old age for abuse and/or neglect. Five signs that could be either the natural progression of age or abuse/neglect are:
Changes in Behavior
Abuse and neglect often cause a considerable change in a person’s behavior. A noticeable change in the senior citizen’s behavior can be noticed as the abuse and neglect continue. The change in behavior could be mistaken for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Instead, the person is being abused by a caregiver or is being neglected and that is causing depression.
Withdrawal and Isolation
Abuse can often result in a person withdrawing from others and isolating himself or herself. This may appear as a decrease in social skills because the person does not interact with others, especially those who are being abusive. A form of neglect and abuse is isolating a patient in his or her room and ignoring the patient. This form of abuse can also cause depression resulting in the behavioral changes and further isolation and social withdrawal.
Weight Loss
An elderly person will often struggle with weight loss as his or her appetite decreases naturally as the result of an illness or some types of medication. However, neglect and abuse can also cause weight loss if the person is being deprived of food.
Dehydration
As we age, some of us do not drink as much water as we did when we were younger. This can result in dehydration; however, dehydration is a sign of being neglected too.
Bed Sores or Other Skin Sores
Bed sores and other skin abrasions are common signs of elder abuse but before you jump to that conclusion, check your loved one’s medication. Some types of medication can thin the outer layer of skin causing it to bruise easily. Furthermore, as we age, our skin becomes thinner naturally putting us at a higher risk for sores and abrasions.
It is always better to err on the side of caution if you suspect nursing home abuse or elder neglect.
Act quickly if you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected. Thoroughly investigate the matter and, if you do not receive the answers you need, contact the authorities and an elder abuse attorney.
Contact The Tiemann Law Firm For A Free Consultation With An Elder Abuse Attorney
Call our office at (916) 999-9000 or chat with a representative on our website to schedule a free legal consultation with an experienced elder abuse attorney. Our attorneys know the best ways to investigate elder abuse allegations. We will find the evidence needed to hold the accountable parties responsible for their actions. You and your loved one may be entitled to receive compensation.
