Florida is home to a large senior population. Unfortunately, our state is also host to a significant number of nursing home abuse and neglect cases. Placing a loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home is often a difficult, emotional decision. Our St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyers can help you determine certain signs of abuse or neglect. Most people do everything they can to ensure their beloved family members are protected, safe, and receiving the best care possible. Sadly, nursing home abuse is often very subtle. If you don’t know what to look for, you could miss it completely.
Signs of Elder and Nursing Home Abuse
Because many nursing home residents are already in poor physical and mental health, it can be difficult to identify symptoms of neglect. Abuse and mistreatment can take many forms, and signs of abuse can manifest both physically and mentally.
Physical Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
In most cases, evidence of physical neglect is easier to spot than mental or emotional abuse. It’s important to pay close attention to your loved one. Although you might feel embarrassed or hesitant to inquire about intimate details of your elderly relative’s physical health, monitoring his or her well-being is vital to picking up on clues that not all is well. Common signs of physical abuse in St. Petersburg include:
- Bedsores
- Rapid weight loss
- Unexplained bruises
- Foul smells
- Infections
- Poor personal hygiene
- Fractures
Sometimes, older generations have been raised to remain stoic and silent about physical discomfort. Additionally, your parent or other elderly loved one may feel too embarrassed to talk about physical abuse. This is why it’s absolutely critical to maintain an open dialogue with the seniors you care about.
Mental and Emotional Signs of Abuse
As you might expect, identifying symptoms of mental and emotional abuse is usually more difficult than discovering traces of physical neglect. Caregivers who berate, belittle, and torment their elderly charges may not leave behind any signs of physical damage, but the mental and emotional bruises they inflict can be just as devastating. Signs of mental and emotional abuse can include:
- Paranoia
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Sudden withdrawal from social settings
- Refusal to visit with loved ones
- Fearfulness
Contact Our St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you suspect that your elderly loved one is being abused in a nursing home, assisted living center, or other care facility, it’s important to speak to a personal injury lawyer right away. At Emerson Straw, we are well-versed in this special area of law, and we help the victims of nursing home abuse and their families pursue justice against the parties and entities responsible. Call us today at 727-821-1500 to talk to a St. Petersburg attorney about your case.
