June 18, 2012
Telltale Signs of Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
When you move your loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility, you want their experience to be positive. You want them to spend the last years of their lives in comfort and safety, with their needs met. Unfortunately, in today’s business climate, where the focus can too often be on profit more than performance, your loved one can be the victim of abuse of neglect. How can you spot the early warning signs, so that you can take the necessary measures to protect your family members? This page identifies what to look for to recognize dangerous or unhealthy situations. If your loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect, you want an experienced lawyer to protect them.
At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we have been representing families for over 25 years in all types of personal injury claims such as nursing home neglect, in Morristown, Springfield, Dover, Newark, Chatham, Union, Livingston, Elizabeth and the surrounding communities throughout the State of New Jersey. Let our team of experienced trial lawyers fight to protect you and your families rights. Todd J. Leonard has dedicated his professional career in helping others following all types of serious personal injury claims and wrongful death lawsuits including nursing home abuse and neglect. Todd is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Advocates Forum and Partner, For a free initial consultation, contact our office online, or call us at (973) 920-7900.
The Early Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
Here are some of the things you should monitor when your loved one is in assisted living or nursing home care:
- Do they show symptoms of dehydration or malnutrition? Are they always asking you for food or water?
- Is their living space clean and sanitary?
- What is the state of their personal hygiene? Is their hair combed? Are their teeth kept clean? Have they developed bed sores? If they need Depends or other similar products, are they changed on a regular basis?
- Do they frequently develop infections or other illnesses?
- Do they get the medical attention they need?
- Do they frequently run out of medications that are ongoing?
Because many nursing home employees lack the proper education or training, they may not know how to respond when your family member fails to understand them or do what they ask. As a result, they may resort to physical violence, either out of frustration or in an attempt to get the response they want. You should look for these telltale signs:
- Your loved one seems overmedicated
- There are unexplained injuries or open wounds, sores, cuts, bruises or welts
- Your loved one complains of not being allowed out of his or her room
- There is evidence that your loved one has been unnecessarily physically restrained
- Your loved one has a dramatic change in behavior, often showing unnecessary fear
Contact Our Office
Please contact the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm to set up a free initial consultation with our team of experienced nursing home neglect lawyer. Contact us by e-mail or call the office at (973) 920-7900. Se habla español.