What Are Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in Merrillville?
When you entrust the care of an aging loved one to a nursing home, you expect that all their basic needs will be met. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. It’s important to recognize the signs of Merrillville nursing home neglect as soon as possible to prevent significant injury or death to your loved one.
In this guide, the northwest Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys review the major signs of neglect and describe how to help a loved one experiencing abuse.
What Is Considered Neglect in a Nursing Home?
Neglect refers to the failure of a designated caregiver to provide the basic needs for a vulnerable person. This may be either intentional or unintentional—some caretakers may purposely ignore a resident’s needs while others may be in charge of such a high number of residents that they cannot adequately care for all of them.
Merrillville nursing home neglect can be broken down into three main categories: physical, medical, and psychological neglect.
Signs of Physical Neglect
Many elderly or disabled people need help with their daily activities like getting bathing or showering, getting dressed, and brushing their teeth or hair. If you notice that your loved one’s personal hygiene has suffered, or that their living conditions seem in any way unsanitary or unclean, this is a red flag that physical neglect is occurring in the nursing home.
Signs of Medical Neglect
Taking care of residents’ medical needs is a key role of nursing homes. Loved ones without access to regular healthy meals may lose weight, seem more tired or irritable than before, or experience hair loss.
In addition to malnutrition, residents may have more trouble getting around, including a loss in mobility, becoming bedridden, developing untreated bedsores, or suffer injury due to a slip and fall accident. Any unexplained injuries, including seemingly minor cuts and bruises, should be investigated.
Psychological Neglect
Just as important as your loved one’s physical health is their mental health while under the care of another. Psychological neglect refers to the mental, emotional, and social deprivations a resident may experience. Anger, depression, and withdrawal from family and friends are prominent symptoms of psychological neglect. Residents may also display fear towards nursing home caregivers.
How Do I Report a Merrillville Nursing Home for Neglect?
If you suspect Merrillville nursing home neglect, or if your loved one reports neglect to you, the first step is to contact your local long term care ombudsman. The Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman investigates and resolves concerns about residents’ quality of life and care at nursing homes and other long term care facilities. They can advocate and negotiate on the resident or their family’s behalf to ensure proper action is taken.
Do I Need a Merrillville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer?
Nursing home neglect is a type of nursing home abuse and is taken very seriously by the law. If you know of or suspect nursing home neglect, first call your long term care ombudsman. Then, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Your loved one may be eligible for compensation after suffering from this kind of abuse.
A personal injury settlement can help you obtain comprehensive medical care, pay for medical bills, and provide financial compensation for physical and mental pain and suffering. In severe cases, a wrongful death suit can compensate family members for loss of companionship and funeral expenses.
Call our northwest Indiana office today at 219-227-4993. You can also reach us via LiveChat, or by submitting the details of your case using our secure contact form.