How to Immediately Protect a Loved One When You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

 As America’s population ages, more and more people are faced with difficult decisions about their elderly loved ones. We all want our older family members to live full and independent lives, but sometimes medical issues arise or cognitive abilities decline and they are no longer able to live alone. As much as we’d like to provide care on our own, there are some circumstances that preclude this. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities are there to provide the medical care and attention that our loved ones need, but all too often these facilities fail in their duty of care, leaving residents vulnerable to untrained, negligent or abusive staff. We’ve all seen horror stories on the news detailing injuries and neglect, but these reports rarely provide information on exactly what steps should be taken if this happens to somebody in your live. At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, we provide aggressive advocacy and legal representation for those who are unable to protect themselves. Here is how to immediately protect a loved one when you suspect nursing home abuse.

One thing that is extremely important is that you treat anything that your loved one tells you with the utmost seriousness. Far too many people later regret not paying enough attention to their loved ones’ complaints of rough treatment or neglect. Speaking about being depressed or lonely is one thing – complaints of abuse are entirely different, and require immediate investigation and action.

If you visit your loved one and believe that they are in immediate danger as a result of warning signs or physical injuries that you observe, you must call 911 or the police without delay. In situations where the situation is not as urgent, there are other steps to be taken, but you should never allow anybody to remain in a situation that you believe is life threatening, and you cannot leave it in the hands of suspected abusers to address the situation. If you feel that the situation is less emergent, your first step is to call your local Adult Protective Services agency and report the situation.  You will need to provide them with your loved one’s name, address, and the specifics of your concerns. Depending upon your complaint the agency will either act immediately or send out an investigator, working with other agencies to investigate the most appropriate action.

Elder abuse in nursing homes can take many different forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and financial abuse. If you observe or suspect any of these, it is important that you take action. If you are not certain about the correct action to take, contact the nursing home abuse attorneys at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers. We will take immediate action to protect your loved one.