Many adults struggle with what to do as their parents age. They want to give their loved ones the attention and care they deserve. However, sometimes older people have needs that their adult children can no longer meet, such as consistent supervision, medical care, or assistance with their daily tasks. At some point, it might become necessary to relocate the loved one to a facility that can meet their increased needs.

But what happens when the nursing home you trusted to care for your family member harms them instead? A Macomb nursing home abuse lawyer could help you find answers and legal solutions. Reach out to the compassionate attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. to learn more about how we can assist your family in pursuing justice.

Why Abuse Occurs in Nursing Homes

Nursing homes must be vigilant about who they hire to care for their residents. Hiring managers must screen potential employees to ensure they have no criminal histories and are qualified to do their jobs. Once hired, new employees should receive adequate training on how to perform their job duties. Untrained caregivers could inadvertently make mistakes that could harm a resident, such as giving them too much or too little of their medication. Caregivers who do not know what they are doing could also feel overwhelmed and take their frustration out on innocent residents by abusing them physically or emotionally.

Nursing homes should also have enough staff members to ensure employees are not overworked, which can lead to careless mistakes and frustration. Facility managers must continually supervise their employees to ensure they are living up to the appropriate standard of delivering quality care.

A dedicated Macomb attorney could review a nursing facility’s records to learn more about their hiring procedures and training protocols to determine the problem and who might be legally to blame for resident abuse.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Unfortunately, many types of abuse occur in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Sometimes, the abuse is intentional and can be in the form of physical, sexual, emotional, or financial harm. In other instances, injuries can occur due to neglect or a lack of supervision. Many nursing home residents do not report the abuse. Sometimes, they are embarrassed or fear retribution from angry caregivers, so they stay silent. Other times, residents are physically unable to speak, such as when they have suffered a stroke that impairs their speech. Sadly, some residents who have dementia or other cognitive declines may not even be aware that they have been the victims of neglect or abuse.

It is often up to the resident’s loved ones to look for signs that the facility is allowing mistreatment to take place. Some common symptoms of abuse and neglect include:

  • Unexplained physical injuries, such as broken bones and bruises
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Changes in behavior, including depression, withdrawal from activities and other people
  • Acting strangely around specific staff members
  • Dehydration and malnutrition
  • Bedsores
  • Unsupervised elopement
  • Falls
  • Poor hygiene
  • Sudden restriction of visitors

Family members should also look for financial exploitation by seeing if the resident has unexplained credit card use or bank withdrawals. When you suspect your loved one is suffering abuse in a skilled nursing facility, a Macomb attorney can take the lead in investigating every aspect of their care.

Reach Out to a Macomb Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

When your loved one’s health and well-being are at stake, do not hesitate to reach out to a Macomb nursing home abuse lawyer. Our caring team can take the time to learn about what happened and use our best efforts to assist your family in pursuing the justice and compensation you deserve.

Take Legal Action Today!

Please contact us today for answers to more complex questions or questions specific to your case. The initial consultation is FREE.

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