7 Signs of Bad Care

It is scary to know that nursing homes are short staffed, understaffed and are often ridiculed for bad behaviors and treatments towards their residents. But when you learn that your mom or dad have been abused—you and your family will probably be left feeling violated and broken. Learning the frightening reality of your loved ones care can cause emotional stress to a family as well as to the one who suffered damages. The following is a list of the top warning signs of abuse or neglect:

1.     Unexplained fractures, bruises, and or head injuries—do not let a nursing home staff member fool you. Too often, unexplained injuries are actually caused by abuse from nursing home staff and or other residents. If your loved one suffered an injury that is unexplainable, contact a personal injury attorney immediately.

2.     Emotional changes—a resident who suddenly becomes depressed, has increased anxiety or isolates themselves and never suffered from these medical conditions previously, is a major sign of abuse and neglect. Often, instead of speaking up, the elderly who is abused will show signs of severe emotional distress. Too often, emotional changes are brushed off as aging. If your loved one has a sudden change of emotional behavior, you have the option to report it to local authorities to begin an investigation. A nursing home abuse attorney can also be a source because attorneys have the ability when hired to perform thorough investigations.

3.     Bed sores, pressure ulcers, infections—Bed sores are considered by medical authorities as a, “Never Event,” meaning that they are entirely preventable and should never occur.  Bed sores can allow for further infections such as a Staph infection or Osteomyelitis (bone infection) which are known to be deadly. If you feel that your loved one suffered from bed sores or a wrongful death, do not hesitate to call an abuse attorney as soon as possible.

4.     Staff that always seems to be too busy to answer your questions—if the staff at nursing home facility always seems to be in a rush, your loved one may be receiving bad care. Mistakes are more likely to occur when there is an overload of residents compared to staff.

5.     Does your loved one know who their medical staff is?—A frequent turnover rate of new staff members often calls for a bad environment for the elderly. When nurses and residents have a healthy relationship, staff is more likely to know what all of their everyday needs are and are less likely to make mistakes or mix up medications, etc. If every time you visit a loved ones care facility and there is always a new staff member caring for your loved one, you may want to consider looking for a new nursing home.

6.     Rapid weight loss—rapid weight loss is a sign of malnourishment and dehydration. It can also cause for an elderly person to be more susceptible to new diseases and infections. Weight loss has been associated with emotional changes, such as depression and anxiety as well. Always ask staff member what their nutritional plan is to improve weight loss symptoms. If they do not seem to have answers or are unsure of a direct plan, it may be a sure sign that your elderly loved one is in bad care.

7.     That gut feeling—if you are generally weary when you visit your loved one and you get that feeling that you are not being told everything, it may be a sign to further investigate your loved ones care.

Do not ever hesitate to call a nursing home abuse attorney if you feel like there are signs of bad care that may have caused your loved ones injuries or death. Malman Law works on a strict contingency fee basis, meaning that we will not get paid unless you do. Our dedicated attorneys are experienced and have settled millions of dollars of cases that involved nursing home abuse and neglect to compensate for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call our office today for a risk free consultation.