Do You See Signs of Nursing Home Abandonment?

Many nursing homes are able to fully care for their residents and provide them with a safe and nurturing environment that they otherwise would not be able to get. While this is absolutely possible, it can be difficult to know which nursing home is safe for your loved one and know how they will do, one, three, or six months from now. If you have been noticing signs that something is different with your loved one after they have been in a nursing home, do not assume it is all in your head. Instead, your first step should be to see if anything has changed in your loved one’s environment or if they have been having a difficult time with their caregiver. 

Signs That There is Nursing Home Abandonment

This may sound like something that would not happen; after all, can a caregiver or responsible staff member at a nursing home truly abandon the residents there? The truth is, it is absolutely possible. Abandonment is just one type of abuse that a resident at a nursing home can suffer from. You may think that you have noticed your loved one’s caregiver there every time you have visited or that, around you, the caregiver at the nursing home has always seemed attentive. However, other signs may point to abandonment, like unexplained injuries, your loved one telling you they are not receiving sufficient care or noticing that your loved one is more reserved or has improper hygiene. If you begin noticing these signs, reach out to a lawyer, like a nursing home lawyer from a law firm like Davis & Brusca, LLC. 

What does abandonment look like in a nursing home? 

Abandonment can come in many forms and may look like: 

• The caregiver is busy with other patients or completing paperwork and does not move or turn your loved one and they develop bedsores
• The caregiver is too busy to check in on your loved one enough and make sure they are getting their medications on time
• The caregiver leaves for the day without communicating with anyone else
• The caregiver does not respond to your loved one’s request for help in a sufficient amount of time 

You should never wait to see if this kind of neglect and abuse will resolve itself. The truth is, it will not change unless you do something about it. When you are ready to move forward with protecting your loved one and filing a lawsuit, reach out to an attorney you can trust from a local law firm.