Emotional Elder Abuse in Nursing Home Attorneys in Florida

The signs of emotional elder abuse and what to do about it

Elder abuse is a serious issue, and it is estimated that a huge number of the persons living in nursing homes will be the victim of emotional abuse at some time or the other. In fact, the American Public Health Association reported that two and a half million retired Americans were the victims of elder abuse in 2006. Because of how serious of a problem emotional abuse is it is important to know what some common forms of elder abuse are, signs that an elder is being abused, and what a person can do to prevent elder abuse.

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Common forms of elder abuse

There are a number of things that a nursing home employee can do to emotionally abuse a resident. One of the most common forms of emotional abuse involves making fun the resident, or attempting to have the resident be blamed for small things. Many employees will blame residents who are suffering from medical conditions, and for things associated with dementia. It is also common for employees to yell at patients, behave threatening towards residents, and to attempt to isolate them from their friends and family. This behavior is exceptionally wrong, and it is important to take steps to fix the problem the moment that abuse is first suspected.

Signs of elder abuse

One of the most prominent signs of emotional abuse of an elder is them being scared of talking about the condition of the nursing home, and them talking as if they are worried that someone will overhear them. It is also important to look for sudden changes to a person’s behavior, them not wanting to talk like they normally do, and them avoiding eye contact. It is also important to check to see if an elder is being allowed to join in group activities, and that they are not being shamed out of attempting to do so.

What to do about elder abuse

When a person notices elder abuse, it is important to do things like contacting the managers of the nursing home, and even looking into having the family member moved. It is also important for a person to enlist the help of a nursing home lawyer. The lawyer can make sure that the managers of the nursing home prevent any abuse in the future, and they can also work to gain compensation for the abuse that has already been shown to the family member.

If you feel like your loved one has been a victim of emotional abuse, don’t hesitate to speak with an attorney at Zimmerman & Frachtman.

Contact us online or call (954) 504-6577 to learn more during a free, confidential consultation.