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Moving a loved one out of your care and into a long-term care facility or nursing home is a tough decision. It can be an especially hard choice after hearing about many abuse and neglect cases around the country.
It is vital to keep close contact with your loved one and watch out for any potential signs of abuse or neglect. If you believe a resident in a care facility is suffering harm or neglect, contact an Oak Lawn nursing home abuse lawyer to set up an appointment. Our compassionate personal injury attorneys could help you compensate for your loved one’s losses.
There are many signs to watch for regarding nursing home abuse. A knowledgeable Oak Lawn nursing home neglect attorney could review the living conditions or details of the injury to help determine if a resident is suffering or previously suffered from abuse. Below are some of the most common physical signs that lawyers see in these cases.
Bedsores are painful and completely avoidable wounds that individuals with mobility problems tend to get when they do not change positions or move enough. It is on the nursing staff to ensure that residents are able to move around safely.
The elderly are highly susceptible to falls that lead to severe injury. Nursing homes and facilities must ensure the premises are safe so that these accidents do not happen.
Caregivers must ensure the residents at nursing homes get the proper nutrition and hydration. When this does not happen, residents can quickly become malnourished and dehydrated, leading to other problems. In addition, staff must ensure the individual does not choke on their food or liquids.
In addition to physical abuse outlined above, resident care patients are often exploited or abused in other ways.
When caregivers inflict emotional or psychological abuse on residents, it can lead to severe depression, fear, and feelings of loneliness. Yelling, harassing, ignoring, and emotional manipulation are all forms of abuse.
Financial abuse occurs when a caregiver financially exploits a resident at a facility, usually in the form of stealing money. This abuse is among the most common forms of abuse on the elderly.
Neglect occurs when the facility does not provide the resident with the basic necessities, leaves them in unsanitary conditions, or abandons them. Abandoning a resident can lead to bedsores, choking injuries, and dangerous falls.
The Nursing Home Care Act is in place to protect those who reside in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Under 210 Illinois Compiled Statutes § 45, residents have the right to the following:
A nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer in Oak Lawn could review case details to determine if the facility violated any of the resident’s rights under the act.
When you trust a facility to care for your loved one, and they take advantage of that trust, you must hold them accountable. Nursing home abuse and neglect is a severe issue all over the country, and holding these facilities responsible for their actions could help others.
A skilled legal professional could review your claim and determine whether there are grounds for a lawsuit. If you believe the negligent actions of a facility caused your loved one’s injuries, contact an Oak Lawn nursing home abuse lawyer right away.