If your loved one has injuries from nursing home abuse, learn how a Pittsburgh nursing home abuse lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC can help you receive justice.
Pittsburgh Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Any family that makes the difficult decision to place their elderly loved one in a nursing home does so with the expectation that their needs and safety will always be a priority. Unfortunately, there are some cases in which a family learns the terrible news that their loved one suffered abuse as a resident in a nursing home. If you recently made a discovery that your loved one suffered injuries from the neglect or abuse they received in a nursing home, learn more about how a Pittsburgh nursing home abuse lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (800) 712-9119 may help you receive justice for your loved one.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home abuses lawyer serving Pittsburgh, call 800-959-1444
Examples of Nursing Home Abuse
No one wants to consider that their loved one may suffer any kind of abuse at a nursing home, which is a place intended to provide security and safety for those unable to do so for themselves. A study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B indicates that nursing home abuse is any intentional action that fails to provide basic needs for or harms an elderly person. There are four types of nursing home abuse committed by a person responsible for a loved one’s care: physical, sexual, psychological, and financial.
Physical Abuse of the Elderly
Elderly residents of nursing homes are inherently at a disadvantage physically due to their age and often their frail state. Residents often require care for their essential needs, such as food, water, or even help to go to the restroom or with other daily functions. In such a vulnerable state, residents may not be able to retaliate or defend themselves against physical abuse.
While there may be some cases where a nursing home employee simply abuses elderly residents for no reason, in many cases it is due to overwork and understaffing. Employees of nursing homes become quickly overwhelmed and resort to dangerous tactics in order to attempt to control the behavior of the elderly residents, including restraining residents, or using physical abuse to obtain compliance. As a result, elderly residents that suffer abuse may suffer broken or fractured bones, traumatic brain injuries, infections, sepsis, complications of already existing medical issues, or even death.
A study from JAMA research shows that an elderly person who suffers from physical abuse has a higher risk of death than others the same age. If you discover that your elderly loved one suffered any kind of unexplained injury, consider whether or not the injuries are the result of nursing home abuse.
Sexual Abuse of the Elderly
As some of the most vulnerable in our society, elderly residents in nursing homes may not remember sexual abuse as a result of neurocognitive degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Furthermore, without the ability to remember sexual abuse, nursing home residents may only know that they have experienced some sort of trauma and may develop serious psychological issues.
Research from the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) indicates that sexual abuse of the elderly in nursing homes remains prevalent. In some cases, the sexual abuse comes from the employees of the nursing home, and in other cases, the sexual abuse occurs from other residents who also may remain confused or unsure of their situation due to dementia or other memory issues.
However, even if another resident commits sexual abuse, the nursing home has a responsibility to ensure the safety and care of all of its residents and protect all residents from any kind of sexual abuse. If you suspect that your loved one suffered any kind of sexual abuse in a nursing home from a staff member or another resident, consider having a discussion with our team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC to learn more about how a Pittsburgh nursing home abuse lawyer can help you understand all of your legal options.
Psychological Abuse of the Elderly
In many cases, workers in nursing homes are overworked and understaffed. As a result, the stress levels can reach extreme levels, and the nursing home staff may lash out against the residents of the nursing home in order to achieve behavioral compliance.
Examples of psychological abuse may include shaming, yelling, manipulating, berating, or frightening the residents. As a result, the elderly residents of a nursing home suffering from psychological abuse can develop psychological trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other conditions.
Mental abuse can also have physical impacts, as residents may develop physiological symptoms associated with stress and mental trauma. If you notice your loved one acting differently in any way, consider whether or not they suffered any kind of psychological abuse in their nursing home.
Financial Abuse of the Elderly
Because members of a nursing home staff have full access to a resident’s room, they can abuse their position of power by stealing credit cards, cash, or even valuable items. In other cases, nursing home staff members may use their position to attempt to become a beneficiary in estate planning documents and receive part of the elderly resident’s inheritance after their death.
Pittsburgh Nursing Home Abuses Lawyer Near Me 800-959-1444
Learn More About How a Pittsburgh Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help Your Family
If you have any suspicions that your elderly loved one suffered any kind of physical, sexual, psychological, or financial abuse as a resident of a nursing home, consider calling our team at (800) 712-9119 to learn more about how a Pittsburg nursing home abuse lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC may help you pursue justice on behalf of your elderly loved one, and potentially prevent another elderly resident from suffering the same type of abuse in the future.
Call or text 800-959-1444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
