Common Signs of Neglect in a Nursing Home or Assisted Living Resident

While nursing home neglect is not always easily detectable, there are some red flags to look out for if a loved one is residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Discovering and putting a stop to situations involving neglect will not only help safeguard your loved one’s health, but also help prevent perpetrators of neglect from treating other elderly residents in a neglectful manner.

First, watch out for signs of increasingly poor hygiene in your loved one. Many adults who reside in nursing homes have difficulty with certain tasks of daily living related to hygiene, such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth, and combing hair. If a caregiver fails to provide this type of care, and a resident is unable to complete these tasks on their own, then the resident may be suffering from neglect.

Unsanitary conditions also may be a sign of neglect in the nursing facility environment. Your loved one’s physical environment should be cleaned on a regular basis. Messes or accidents should be cleaned up immediately. Bedding should be clean and changed on a regular basis. Infection is already a concern in most medical care facilities, so it is important to protect your loved one from these risks, which can occur in the context of neglect.

An increasing loss of mobility also may be cause for concern. If your loved one is left to sit in the bed, chair, or wheelchair for hours at a time, not only may he or she lose much-needed mobility and develop pressure sores from remaining in the same position. Loss of mobility also can lead to falls or other preventable injuries.

Boller & Vaughan knows the ins and outs of elder neglect and abuse law and has the experience necessary to help you through any type of elder neglect and abuse claim, including incidents involving elder financial, physical, and mental abuse. No matter what type of nursing home facility abuse or neglect is at issue in your case, we are here to help. All too often, residents and their families are reluctant to demand justice for situations that occurred in the resident’s care. In this situation, you can count on your Madison elderly abuse attorneys to guide you through every step of the personal injury claims process.