Nursing Home Neglect in Southwest VA –
Davis, Davis & Davis Attorneys

Elder abuse and neglect can happen most easily in nursing home situations, with neglect often playing the larger role in a variety of types. Elders in any community setting may be abused.

Types of Nursing Home Neglect in Southwest VA

Many families turn to nursing homes to care for elderly members; however, they may soon find themselves dealing with an individual case of nursing home neglect that includes:

  • Emotional or social neglect, when an elderly person is left alone, repeatedly ignored, or snapped at by staff members, resulting in depression or worse.
  • Personal hygiene neglect, when a patient does not receive adequate help with laundry, cleaning, bathing, brushing teeth, and other forms of hygienic practices.
  • Basic needs neglect, when a nursing home fails to provide reasonable food and water, or a safe and clean environment.
  • Medical neglect, where the nursing home fails to provide adequate attention, prevention, or medication for any medical need, such as bed sores, infections, cuts, diabetes, cognitive diseases, or mobility concerns.

Learn the Warning Signs of Neglect & Abuse

If your family member is extremely vulnerable, how can you tell if they are being abused? Some of the warning signs of nursing home neglect include:

  • Bedsores, or pressure ulcers
  • Changes in personal hygiene or appearance
  • Dehydration
  • Increased lack of friendly interaction with residents
  • Increased lack of friendly interaction with staff
  • Injuries from nursing home falls
  • Malnutrition
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Withdrawn behavior or other behavior changes
  • Obvious environmental hazards (such as poor lighting, slippery floors, unsafe or missing mobility equipment, unsafe furniture in patient room)

Protection & Reporting of Elder Abuse

There are greater risks for elderly patients in nursing homes to suffer from serious diseases, infections, injuries from falls, and even untimely death. Most of these risks are caused by neglect and can be prevented by reporting safety-related issues promptly. Frequent visits and monitoring signs of neglect or distress play an important role in elder care in nursing home situations.

Elders who live in the community may also suffer from abuse where they live, and it can be caused by adult children, grandchildren, spouses, partners, and caregivers. Abuse can take many forms beyond obvious neglect, and may include:

  • Abandonment by caregiver(s)
  • Emotional abuse
  • Financial exploitation
  • Healthcare fraud and abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse

General signs of elder abuse that may be observed in a community setting include frequent arguments, stress, or tension between the caregiver and the elderly person, or changes in the elder’s personality or behavior. Each of the forms of abuse mentioned above come with a list of possible signs, so it may be best to review your concerns with an elder abuse hotline, read and become more involved in protecting the elder person, and do not hesitate to call Adult Protective Services (APS).