Recognizing Nursing Home Abuse in Nonverbal Residents

Nursing home neglect and abuse are very serious issues that greatly affect the safety and well-being of elderly individuals. Sadly, nonverbal residents in long-term care facilities are at much greater risk of being neglected or abused.

Many people think there is no way to determine if their nonverbal loved one is being abused because the resident cannot vocalize it. However, there are signs of abuse and neglect in nonverbal residents. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney explains what these are.

Identifying Physical Abuse in Nonverbal Residents

Physical abuse involves hitting, pinching, pulling, pushing, and otherwise causing harm to nursing home residents. Physical abuse is most likely to leave visible injuries and so, it may be one of the easier types of abuse to identify in nonverbal residents. The most common signs are as follows:

• Unexplained injuries: Unexplained burns, broken bones, cuts, and bruises are signs of physical abuse, particularly when they regularly occur on areas of the body that are covered by clothing.
• Unexplained mobility changes: If a loved one suddenly has trouble sitting or walking, it can indicate that they are suffering from physical trauma and injuries.
• Acting defensive or fearful: While a patient may be nonverbal, they can still show signs of fear, such as withdrawing from touch, flinching, or showing signs of increased agitation in front of certain staff members.
• Signs of restraint: Ligature marks on the ankles, wrists, or torso can indicate that a resident has been improperly restrained.

Identifying Emotional Abuse in Nonverbal Residents

Emotional abuse is the most common type to occur in nursing home facilities. It includes threatening, yelling at, belittling, isolating, and harassing residents. Some of the most common signs of emotional abuse in nonverbal residents include:

• Increased anxiety or depression: Sudden changes in one’s emotional state such as sudden restlessness, heightened anxiety, and excessive crying can all indicate emotional abuse.
• Social withdrawal: When a resident was once very social but they become unresponsive or withdrawn, it is a sign of psychological abuse.
• Avoiding eye contact: Nonverbal residents may avoid eye contact, particularly with staff members who are emotionally abusing them.
• Interrupted sleep patterns: Excessive sleeping, insomnia, and other sudden changes in sleep patterns are signs of trauma caused by neglect or abuse.

Identifying Neglect in Nonverbal Residents

Unlike other types of abuse, neglect is not intentional. Still, it causes very serious harm to nursing home residents. Signs of nursing home neglect in nonverbal residents are as follows:

• Bed sores: Bed sores are a result of nursing home staff members being left in one position for too long because staff members left them for too long.
• Poor hygiene: Poor hygiene such as unwashed hair, soiled clothing, or skin conditions left untreated are a sign of neglect.
• Dehydration and malnutrition: Lethargy, weight loss, sunken eyes, dry skin, and chapped lips are all signs of dehydration and malnutrition caused by neglect.

Call Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Tampa After Spotting the Signs

It can be more difficult to identify signs of abuse in nonverbal residents, but that does not mean it is impossible. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney can help your family make things right if abuse or neglect has occurred. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our experienced attorney and to learn more about how we can help you obtain the compensation your loved one deserves.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html