Nobody should ever have to worry about their loved one suffering from any kind of abuse inside a nursing home. Unfortunately, there are times when nursing home staff members abuse residents in their facilities in some way. If you discover that your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse in Illinois, you should speak to a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. Here, we want to discuss some of the most common questions nursing home abuse victims and their family members have when trying to move forward and recover compensation for what happened.
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Mental Trauma to Nursing Home Residents in Chicago
Nursing home abuse is abhorrent, and it can occur in a variety of ways. There are millions of nursing home residents throughout the United States, and the number of elderly people requiring assistance increases every year. Not all types of nursing home abuse are related to physical trauma. Nursing home residents can also experience mental trauma as well. Here, our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers want to discuss the emotional and psychological trauma that nursing home victims can endure at the hands of their caretakers.
Understanding Emotional And Psychological Abuse In Nursing Homes
Predators May View Nursing Home Residents as Easy Prey
Because you love and respect your parents, you do everything in your power to provide for their safety and comfort as they age. Often, this includes finding them a safe and clean nursing home facility when their physical and mental needs exceed what can be provided in their own home. No matter how carefully you screen the facility, however, it’s impossible to prevent all problems. Recent reports from major news outlets highlight how shockingly prevalent sexual abuse is in nursing homes.
It can be hard for facilities that don’t offer competitive pay (many nursing homes offer near-minimum wage positions) to screen out all potential problems when it comes to staff. As a result, predators who have terrible intentions may end up working in close contact with elderly adults in vulnerable positions. If your loved one has made statements that concern you about staff behavior, you should speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
What Do You Do in Cases of Nursing Home Neglect?
There are many excellent elder care and nursing home facilities in Northern Chicago and the nearby suburbs. Unfortunately, sometimes even places with excellent reputations can fail to provide adequate care. In some cases, expansion and growth have left the nursing homes understaffed for their current number of residents. In others, a few aides with bad attitudes or mediocre work ethics can severely impact the level of care certain residents receive.
It’s a difficult decision to put loved ones into nursing home facilities. It can be heartbreaking to realize they aren’t being treated the right way. If you believe your loved one is being neglected, you should speak with a personal injury attorney right away.
Spotting Elder Abuse
For many elderly people, the need for in-home care or relocation to a nursing home arises because of an accident or injury. The older we get, the more likely we are to suffer injury in a slip and fall or other domestic accident. The fact that injuries are more common for older people makes spotting situations of elder abuse difficult. It is important to know what to look for when visiting with elderly loved ones to make sure they are being cared for properly.
It is not always easy to watch your parents, grandparents or other loved ones age. The people who cared and nurtured you may eventually need your help to stay safe from abuse. That can mean having uncomfortable conversations about some topics that are considered taboo. One of the most common forms of abuse is financial abuse. If you find that your loved one has changed his or her spending dramatically, that is a red flag. If a caregiver moves in or is clearly dependent on your loved one for financial support, that is a red flag. It is fair to wonder at the motivations of someone who is newly close to your loved one, even if that person is also a relative.