Signs of Abuse in Nursing Homes

Arizona Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Signs In the U.S today, there are approximately 1.7 million elderly individuals who rely upon nursing homes and long-term facilities to provide them with the basic necessities of daily life and essential medical care in an efficient and compassionate manner. Unfortunately, far too many seniors are not receiving the quality of care they should, by law, be receiving, which can often result in injury or death. The Arizona Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm of James Morgan is dedicated to representing those injured by nursing home abuse, neglect and medical negligence in the state of Arizona. Only when the citizens of Arizona take action can we begin to rectify this growing problem. Contact James Morgan, one of our premier Arizona Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers, for a free nursing home abuse case evaluation and let us help you provide you dignity and justice.

Currently, statistics indicate that more than 30% of all nursing homes in America inflict some form of abuse upon residents. As our elder population continues to grow, incidences of nursing home abuse, negligence, abandonment and medical malpractice is steadily increasing. To meet the needs of our elder population, federal and state agencies have been designated to oversee and enforce nursing home regulations; however, they are failing to sufficiently do so.

If someone you care about is in the care of an Arizona nursing home or other long-term residential care facility you should be alert to indicators of abuse. Nursing home abuse can include:

·         Physical –
hitting, slapping, burning, pushing, restraining and dispensing too much medication or the wrong medication.
·         Neglect –
deprivation of food, heat, comfort, hygiene care, clothing or essential medication.
·         Psychological –
shouting, swearing, frightening, blaming, ignoring or humiliating.
·         Financial –
the illegal or unauthorized use of a person’s property, money, pension book or other valuables.
·         Sexual –
forcing a person to take part in any sexual activity without his or her consent.

Signs of Physical Abuse in Arizona

·         Bruises, welts, sores, cuts or abrasions in places they would normally not be expected
·         Bruising on upper arms from possible shaking
·         Bruising and other injuries may be in different stages of healing
·         Rope burns on arms/wrists, legs/ankles from improperly tying or bandaging the elderly victim
·         Finger marks
·         Burns from cigarettes or cigars
·         An injury that appears to be in the shape of an object, such as an electrical cord or belt buckles
·         Injuries that are inconsistent with explanation for its cause
·         Unexplained fractures
·         Attempts to hide part of the body upon examination.
·         Medical misconduct (overdose or over-sedation)
·         Pain from touching

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in Arizona

·         Bed sores (pressure sores or decubitus ulcers)
·         Soiled clothing or bed linens
·         Weight loss·         Dehydration or malnutrition without illness-related cause
·         Poor coloration
·         Sunken eyes or cheeks
·         Untreated health problems
·         Unsafe or unsanitary environment
·         Forced isolation
·         Victim appears detached, unresponsive, helpless
·         Victim wanders off the propertySigns Psychological Abuse in Arizona

Signs of Psychological Abuse

·         Behavior Changes, such as being depressed, frightened, withdrawn, apathetic, anxious or aggressive
·         Resident makes unusually great efforts to please
·         Appears to be afraid of being with, or unwilling to be treated by a specific member of staff.
·         Displays fear or apprehension or distress before or after a visit from a caregiver or other visitor.
·         Fearful of speaking for oneself in the presence of caretaker
·         Demonstrates a sudden mood or change in behavior
·         Trembling, clinging, cowering, lack of eye contact

Signs of Financial Abuse

·         Unexplained withdrawals from a patient’s savings account.
·         An unexplained shortage of money, despite adequate income.
·         A sudden transfer of assets to a relative.
·         The disappearance of jewellery, clothes, personal possessions and money.
·         A recently written will when person seems incapable of writing will
·         Caregiver's name added to bank account

Signs of Sexual Abuse

·         Pain, itching or injury to the anal, genital or abdominal area.
·         Difficulty in walking or sitting because of discomfort in the genital area.
·         Bruising and bleeding of external genitalia.
·         Torn, stained or bloody underclothes.
·         Venereal disease or recurrent bouts of cystitis.
·         Unexplained problems with urinary catheters.

Our Arizona Nursing Home Abuse attorneys remain committed to addressing the inadequate care often provided by nursing homes and representing victims of nursing home abuse throughout Arizona. If you suspect your friend or relative is a victim of nursing home abuse in an Arizona nursing home or long-term facility, contact leading nursing home abuse attorney, James Morgan for a free consultation.

Our qualified team of Arizona nursing home lawyers is dedicated to pursuing justice for those injured in Arizona by nursing home negligence, abuse and medical misconduct. We are committed to helping prevent incidences of nursing home abuse and neglect by diligently defending the rights of our elders.