Signs Your Elderly Relative May Be Being Abused
Unfortunately, abuse of elderly people by the people who are supposed to be taking care of them is a far more common problem than many people know. Elder abuse lawyers such as Garcia Law take on many cases every year where vulnerable people have been treated badly, manipulated, or stolen from.
While law firms that specialize in these types of cases can help bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice and seek compensation, it is important to pay attention to what is happening around elderly people you know and look out for signs of abuse so action can be taken.
Why Elder Abuse Can Be Hard To Spot
Abuse of the elderly can take some careful detection for a number of reasons. The person being abused is unlikely to simply tell you it’s going on. This could be out of fear, confusion, or embarrassment, or because they suffer from conditions like dementia. In some cases, for instance, when an elderly person is being stolen from or conned out of money, they may not even be aware of it. This is why it is important to pay close attention to their condition and the things they say when they are in a nursing home or have a carer looking after them at home.
Physical Signs
If the person in question looks unkempt despite having people caring for them or has unexplained injuries such as bruises, then it is possible they are being neglected or abused.
The condition of their home is also something to keep an eye on if their carers look after them there. Have you noticed anything missing or that the house is in a dirty, neglected state? These things may all have other explanations. However, they are certainly red flag warning flags.
Talking To Your Elderly Relative or Neighbor
You may also notice signs from conversations you’ve had. Does the person seem to have less money than they should or do they complain about having lost things? Not all elder abuse is around violence or neglect, so signs that someone may be conning them out of money or simply taking advantage of them are also things you need to watch for. If you do discover there are signs of abuse and have suspicions that there is mistreatment happening, then reaching out to an expert such as this Nashville nursing home abuse attorney is an important step in taking necessary action. Seeking legal advice can help in your next steps, and what you can do to ensure matters are dealt with and justice is taken care of in the hands of a professional, in the best interest of your elderly relative.
Changes in demeanor can also be red flags. Does the person seem afraid around certain care workers? Have they become more withdrawn recently? Do they seem reluctant to answer questions about their life and the care they are getting?
It can be hard to get information this way in every case, of course, as some elderly people have dementia or Alzheimer’s, which can make them feel confused, afraid, and unable to remember things anyway. However, even in these cases, you may be able to perceive something is going on by a sudden change or from things they say.
Keeping a watchful eye out for signs somebody elderly you know is being abused, physically, emotionally, or financially may not be easy, but it is something that is very important to do to ensure their comfort and safety.
13 Comments
Tamra Phelps
I saw things while I was at the nursing home that would make people cringe. I wouldn’t tolerate it and would report it to the administrators. The people who were abusive to the older residents rarely lasted long, honestly. The other staff certainly didn’t want them there.
Sarah L
My friend’s elderly father was having problems and she finally figured out what was happening.
michele
I could not imagine how horrible it is to have your loved one abused either at home or in a facility….We are grateful that we were able to care for both my parents at home and only have a care giver come in to monitor the meds for the doctor…..dad was on morphine and that was the only way we could keep him home ….
Nikolina Vukelic
OMG, that’s just too awful… Hope I never have to go through that!
Tracy Robertson
The horror! Thank goodness for the good, honest caregivers but the abusers are disgusting!
Edye
Protecting and respecting our elders is so important!
Kelly
The idea that someone could/would abuse my relatives when they are older is heart-wrenching. I just don’t know how anyone could hurt someone like that. My mother just moved in with us, and she had bruises all over her body. I freaked! Fortunately for us, we realized it was just because she was bumping into things and she bruises really easily, but it could have been something worse, and it would have broke my heart.
Jennifer Boehme
I really hate knowing someone can do this to the elderly, no heart. I watch my neighbors, and if they act different, I know something may be happening to them. I worked in nursing homes for years, and even yelling at elderly is wrong, dementia or not, no excuses to yell at them. One man had money stolen from his drawer by a N.A., which the police came.
Veronica Lee
Elder abuse is more common than we might think. I have heard of many incidents happening in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
Anita L
It’s terrible to think of how some elderly people are being abused like this. I’ve heard it several times going on in nursing homes and it’s simply unbelievable. My husband and I are currently caring for his elderly mother in our home so that we do not have to worry about this issue.
Karen Raider
It is so sad that elderly people are the target of abuse. Thank you for all your information.
Tamra Phelps
It’s heartbreaking to even think about, but I bet we all know someone this has happened to. Even if you think you have found wonderful care for elderly relatives, you have too keep your eyes open.
Kate Sarsfield
It’s horrible and not something that we even want to think about but it’s imperative that we do. My niece’s paternal grandfather was in his late 80s, quite frail but managed to live in his home with the help of a care giver who came in daily to help him get out of bed, shower, dress etc. She made breakfast and lunch and did some light housework. One of the family members would then take over and stay the night. One daughter couldn’t find a pair of cuff-links that were an anniversary present from his late wife. Other pieces of jewellery and cash were also missing. They installed hidden cameras and called the police with the taped evidence. At the court case she was charged & imprisoned for stealing at least $40,000 worth of jewellery, paintings, cash and other effects over a year-long period.
What hurt the most was that they had known this woman for years, had trusted her and had paid her extremely well but apparently she had a major gambling habit and had amassed huge debts.