Signs of Elder Abuse

Our San Diego nursing home injury lawyers have seen many forms of elder abuse throughout our careers. There are several signs you can look for to determine if your loved one is suffering from abuse or neglect while under the care of another, whether at Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), at a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), an In-Home Healthcare provider, or other. The following is a listing of some of the more common signs and indicators of elder abuse and neglect. If you suspect that someone you love has been abused or neglected in a nursing home, contact a California nursing home neglect lawyer at our firm today to discuss the details of your situation.

Physical  Abuse

• Cuts, bruises, abrasions, burn marks, scratches, pinch marks, restraint or rope marks
• Broken bones, fractures or dislocations
• Marks to the head, neck and face, such as a black eye or bruises around the neck
• Bruises or marks around the arms (as if being grabbed forcefully), finger/thumb print-sized marks on the arms, wrists, inner thighs, etc.
• Presence of old and new bruises in the same place and different colored bruises
• Marks caused by restraints which are not ordered by a doctor for the patient or resident's safety
• Signs of sexual abuse, including bruising around breasts and/or genitalia, unexplained venereal disease or genital inflammation, unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
• Physical signs that the patient or resident is being over-medicated, such as decreased mobility, blank stares, uncontrollable drooling, drowsiness and excessive sleeping

Neglect

• Patient or resident falls frequently because proper fall prevention protocol is not in place or not being followed
• Poor hygiene, including dirty hair, hands, uncut and/or dirty fingernails, dirty teeth and/or bad breath, dirty clothes, patient or resident smells of urine or feces
• Bedsores on feet, back, shoulders, buttocks, elbows, etc.
• Resident or patient's living area and common environments are unkept, soiled or disorganized
• Unsafe living conditions, such as no hot water, frequent wanderings of patients or residents, exposed electrical outlets
• Person left unattended on toilet, outside, etc.
• Unexplained weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration
• Missing dentures, glasses, hearing aids or mobility aids

Emotional and Behavioral Abuse

• Confusion or disorientation without a medical reason
• Anxiety
• Sadness or depression
• Aggitation
• Fear of talking openly
• Patient or resident becomes withdrawn
• Patient or resident no longer participates in favorite activities
• It appears patient or resident is being untruthful when questioned about circumstances
• Caregiver will not allow you to speak to patient or resident alone or person fears being left alone with certain people
• Unexplained change in sleeping or eating habits

How our San Diego nursing homes negligence attorneys can help

Our California nursing home injury attorneys have years of experience handling a wide variety of elder abuse and elder neglect cases. In that time we have witnessed many different types of abuse, and have learned how to identify instances of neglect before they turn serious or fatal. If you have an elderly family member in a nursing home who you believe has been abused or neglected, share your story with the San Diego nursing home neglect attorneys of our firm. We will do everything in our power to help you, and will fight for the compensation that you rightfully deserve if you have a legitimate case against a nursing home.

Visit the following pages for more information about the different forms of elder abuse/neglect:

[pagelist child_of="1437"]