What are Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in Orlando
Nursing home abuse and neglect are two problems plaguing nursing homes all across the country, including here in Orlando. Some people assume that abuse and neglect are the same thing, but they do have some notable differences. Nursing home neglect is a type of elder abuse.
Nursing home abuse involves direct harm to the victim. Nursing home neglect causes harm through the failure to perform caregiving duties or providing substandard care. Together, neglect and abuse make up the two main categories of mistreatment of adults in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. If you suspect elder abuse, you need to speak with an Orlando elder law attorney right away.
Types of Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing home neglect can take on a variety of forms. The most common types include:
- Medical Neglect: Medical neglect is when a nursing home doesn’t provide medication, enough attention, or prevention for important issues like diabetes, bedsores, cuts and infections, cognitive diseases, and more.
- Social or Emotional Neglect: This is where the nursing home patient is routinely left alone, ignored, or snapped at by nursing home staff.
- Basic Needs Neglect: When a nursing home commits basic needs neglect, it’s a failure to provide a safe and clean environment or reasonable access to food and water.
- Personal Hygiene Neglect: Personal hygiene neglect is when a patient doesn’t receive the necessary help with bathing, cleaning, brushing their teeth, laundry, or any other hygienic needs.
Potential Signs of Florida Nursing Home Neglect
In order to keep your loved ones safe in a nursing home, you have to be alert and watch for warning signs that point to nursing home neglect or abuse. Some of the most common signs include:
- Unsanitary living conditions — make sure there is clean bedding, clean clothing, a clean living area, etc. The overall facilities should also be clean.
- Unexplained injuries — does your loved one have unexplained injuries? Look for injuries that are out of the norm and cannot be easily explained.
- Poor hygiene — Many nursing home residents need assistance with tasks like washing their hair and/or bathing, brushing their teeth, combing their hair, etc.
- Malnourished — Make sure your loved one looks healthy and well-fed. Signs of inadequate nutrition can display as hair loss, always being cold, constant irritability or tiredness, papery skin, and more.
- Psychological Issues — When a patient is neglected, it can result in emotional issues. Maybe the patient suddenly is angry a lot or feels resentment towards staff. Repeated episodes of neglect can lead to depression, and that may cause the victim to start pulling away from family and friends.
- Loss of Mobility — Patients need to be kept active as much as possible so they don’t lose their mobility or muscle mass. Because they spend most of their day in bed or sitting for long periods of time, they may have a loss of mobility.
Contact an Orlando Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
If you believe your loved one in a nursing home is a victim of abuse or neglect, you need to speak with an experienced Orlando elder law attorney right away. Contact the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. today to schedule an initial consultation.
https://sheafugate.com/tips-for-nursing-home-planning-in-orlando/
