Nursing home abuse is a problem that can affect elderly and disabled people in Illinois. As the population continues to age, there are more cases of nursing home abuse and neglect being reported. To combat this problem, some states have instituted new legislation to increase penalties for those convicted of nursing home abuse and allow family members to install hidden cameras in nursing home rooms.
Even without a hidden camera, family members of elderly nursing home residents can do their part to detect nursing home abuse and neglect. Bedsores are one of the most common signs that a nursing home resident is not being treated with care. If nursing home residents have a lot of bedsores, it could be a sign that they are being left in the same position for excessive periods of time.
A nursing home resident with excessive bruising on their body may also give family members cause for alarm. Although minimal bruising is not always a sign of abuse, a lot of bruising that cannot be explained might be. In addition to physical signs of neglect and abuse, a nursing home resident may demonstrate that they are being mistreated by the way that they act. Sudden emotional changes could be a sign that a nursing home resident suffered a traumatic event.
A family that believes their loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse might want to speak to an attorney about conducting an investigation into their loved one’s care. After gathering evidence of the nursing home abuse that occurred, an attorney may help a family take appropriate legal action against the responsible parties.
Source: The Global Dispatch, “Stopping Nursing Home Neglect,” Adam Lee, Feb. 24, 2015