North Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse in North Carolina
When care becomes too extensive for family members to administer, the services of nursing homes are often sought after to provide a safe and caring environment for elderly loved ones. However, while we may assume that all nursing homes provide our loved ones with the proper care they deserve, not all nursing homes are the same. That is, while some nursing homes do in fact hire employees who truly want to help the elderly, other nursing homes, perhaps unknowingly, hire individuals who are abusive and should never have been granted the authority to administer care in the first place.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, there are numerous signs to be aware of that may indicate that an elderly loved one may in fact be experiencing abuse. Some of these include the following:
- Physical indicators of abuse may include bruises, broken bones, bed sores, or other injuries that seem more likely to have been inflicted by another person. Physical indicators could reveal that an elderly individual has been abused, mistreated, or neglected in some way. Furthermore, depending on where injuries are observed, an elderly loved one may exhibit signs of sexual abuse.
- Emotional abuse will often be characterized by a change in behavior exhibited by an elderly loved one. Withdrawal from normal activities and signs of depression are two major indicators that an elderly loved one is the victim of emotional abuse. Belittling comments and ridicule imposed by a caregiver are clear signs that an individual is being emotionally abused. Signs of a strained relationship between a caregiver and an elderly nursing home resident are also a strong indicator that abuse of some kind may be taking place.
- Other signs that an elderly loved one is experiencing some sort of abuse are physical changes in appearance, such as sudden weight loss or unusually poor hygiene. Both of these warning signs could indicate that an elderly individual is being neglected. Also, financial instability is another sign of potential elder abuse in which a caregiver may be committing financial exploitation or embezzlement.
If you have recently noticed signs that your loved one may be experiencing abuse of some kind while living in a North Carolina nursing home, please contact the experienced Raleigh personal injury attorneys at Allen Broughton, P.C. Our skilled North Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers will examine the circumstances under which your loved one has been cared for. With the assistance of medical experts, our experienced lawyers will help determine whether or not your loved one suffered abuse.
Our North Carolina elder neglect attorneys will hold negligent parties accountable for their actions in a court of law, and will fight to ensure that the rights of your loved ones are no longer infringed upon. If you suspect your loved one has been the victim of elder abuse in North Carolina, call our offices today at 877-268-0808 for a free consultation of your case.
