Nursing home abuse is one of the most unsettling types of abuse imaginable. And this abuse takes many forms. Even the most diligent family members can miss the signs of nursing home abuse, resulting in self-blame for the injuries to their loved ones.
Becoming familiar with the types of nursing home abuse that occur in Georgia can help families take steps to prevent further harm or death. A Georgia nursing home abuse attorney can guide you through the steps of pursuing legal action against individuals and facilities that cause or allow this abuse to continue. Awareness of these actions is the first step to prevention.
Physical Abuse
Bodily harm is caused by physical abuse and is often most recognized because of the outward scars. These physical injuries can lead to severe illness and death. The signs of physical abuse can be downplayed as a result of aging but can result from these actions:
- Pushing or shoving
- Punching, hitting, or slapping
- Restraining
- Kicking
- Pinching
Physical abuse involves inflicting injury or physical pain on someone, resulting in bruising, bleeding, broken bones, and other notable physical injuries. Writing down the dates when a bodily injury is observed and taking photographic documentation of physical injuries can begin vital documentation to prove physical abuse in a Georgia nursing home.
Neglect
Neglect in a nursing home consists of the failure of staff to provide the needed aid or goods that are essential in avoiding pain, physical harm, distress, or anguish. Neglect is often the result of staffing shortages or carelessness. It refers more to actions withheld from an individual than actions occurring to someone. Read more about the common signs of nursing home neglect here.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
The invisible scars and damage from this type of nursing home abuse can be challenging to prove. It consists of hostile verbal and psychological actions towards an individual. It is the highest reported type of abuse by elders and their families, consisting of threats, insults, and often isolation tactics.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse can often go unnoticed until a doctor’s examination discovers it. Sadly, many victims of nursing home sexual abuse in Georgia are unable to report the assault because of the inability to communicate or mentally process what is occurring. Signs of sexual assault can include bruising on and inside the legs and around the buttocks, scratches, infections, and newly detected STDs.
Financial Abuse
Taking a resident’s cash or banking information or preventing a resident from accessing their accounts are forms of financial abuse. Financial abuse can lead to anxiety and mental anguish in residents and, even more detrimental, can rob them of the ability to afford the long-term care they need. An executor or power of attorney might frequently review the financial statements of a loved one in a nursing home facility for any transactions that stand out as unexpected or out of the ordinary.
Georgia Nursing Home Attorney Fighting Against Nursing Home Abuse
The experienced team at Julie A. Rice, Attorney at Law, & Affiliates, offers free consultations to begin your fight against nursing home abuse in Georgia. Let our team compassionately guide you through the steps of seeking compensation for your loved one’s injuries resulting from nursing home abuse. Accountability is our goal, and our clients are our first priority.