After your loved one has lived in a nursing home for a while, you may notice some telltale signs of odd behavior.
Abuse can come in many forms, and it is not always just physical. Knowing the variety of ways nursing home abuse can happen can help you recognize the signs.
Neglect and abandonment
According to the National Institute on Aging, neglect stems from a caretaker not responding to or outright ignoring an elderly person’s needs. He or she may request service while the caretaker ignores any verbal instructions.
This can affect your loved one’s emotional and social health, as well as physical safety. Workers may forget to provide daily meals or even cut visiting time with your loved one’s friends short.
Financial abuse
This kind of abuse typically centers on a caretaker stealing or misusing an elderly person’s funds for his or her own purposes. You may notice missing checks, credit cards or other important papers.
Sometimes, small personal items disappear and your loved one may be unable to find them. Official documents may even have different names or include the caretaker when they did not before.
Emotional abuse
Bouts of yelling or angry exchanges between your loved one and his or her caretaker may be signs of this kind of abuse. Caretakers may also threaten older people or potentially keep them from seeing their friends and family in order to purposefully isolate them.
Emotional abuse can come in many forms, and harmful words are one of them. Knowing the signs of abuse, from financial to emotional, can help your loved one stay safe.