If your loved one is indicating that he or she is the victim of nursing abuse or neglect, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit to hold the facility responsible.
All individuals have the right to age with dignity, but overcrowding and understaffing in nursing homes can put your loved one at risk. The sooner you take action if you suspect abuse, the better you can be prepared to protect your family member.
A recent research study has identified that there are multiple causes of abusive situations inside nursing homes. If you think that your loved one may be abused in a nursing home, a Jacksonville nursing home abuse attorney may be able to help you.
In fact, more than 5 million elderly individuals are believed to be the subjects of nursing home abuse every single year. While you might want to point the finger at staff members who may be overworked and underpaid, a separate research project identified that 1 in 5 nursing home residents has been abused by another resident.
Challenges Faced by Loved Ones in a Nursing Home
It can be difficult to adjust to the new living arrangements, particularly if your loved one has a roommate when he or she has only lived with a spouse or alone before.
The cognitive issues that come with problems like Dementia or Alzheimer’s can also make it more difficult for elderly individuals to control their emotions. This can lead to conflicts and squabbles with other residents, which may be verbal, physical, or even sexual in nature.
Although the vast majority of incidents analyzed in a recent study of more than 2,000 residents in nursing homes across New York State were verbal, 26 percent of those involved physical attacks, as well.
Sadly, you might not even realize that abuse is happening until it’s been going on for some time. If your loved one has trouble vocalizing these concerns or is scared to speak up around staff members, you may not know about the abuse until weeks or months later.
Even if this is the case, you should still take action to protect your loved one. Speaking up about the abuse could be important for stopping it with your loved one, but you may also be protecting other residents, too.
What Should I Do if My Loved One Shows Signs of Abuse?
If you believe that your loved one has become a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, whether it’s at the hands of a staff member or another resident, there are several different things you can do to support your loved one and to stop the cycle of abuse.
First of all, gather any evidence you have collected, and meet with a Florida nursing home abuse lawyer. You may be eligible to file a claim against the facility in order to protect your loved one’s rights.
Also Read: 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Nursing Home
How to Help a Loved One with Cognitive Issues
If your loved one is affected by a cognitive disability already, small changes in the environment can help. For example, reduced noise and better lighting can help patients who are suffering from dementia.
Private spaces and safer spaces in dementia patient units are more likely to reduce mistreatment from one resident to another.
If your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s, limiting any distractions in your loved one’s surroundings, like large crowds, loud music, televisions, or flashing or blinking lights can help him or her adapt.
The facility can help to support this by offering relaxing activities and changing activities when aggression elevates between two individuals.
Nursing home overcrowding becomes a major problem when it contributes to more abusive interactions.
Speak with a Knowledgeable Jacksonville Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
If you have questions about how best to protect your loved one when you believe he or she is the subject of nursing home abuse, you need to consult with an experienced Florida lawyer today.
You can stop the cycle of abuse by showing the nursing home that you are serious and consulting with an eligible lawyer to move forward with a claim. Your raising the issue may stop the cycle of abuse for your loved one as well as for other patients. Contact a Jacksonville nursing home abuse attorney to learn more.
Discover how an attorney can help you with nursing home issues by reading this blog: https://myjacksonvillelawyers.com/2015/12/08/what-you-can-learn-from-your-jacksonville-nursing-home-negligence-attorney/
What constitutes a personal injury?
The most common personal injury is an auto accident, but the broad definition encompasses any situation where a person suffers harm due to the negligence of another person or entity. Early identification of a personal injury is important to the legal process. Many serious injuries occur each year involving:
– Auto accidents
– Premises liability accidents such as injuries caused by a slip and fall
– Medical malpractice/nursing home injuries
– Wrongful death
– Work-related accidents
– Animal attacks
– Faulty or malfunctioning products (product liability)