Elder Abuse and Neglect
Matters elder abuse and neglect often lead to injuries of our loved one.
These problems occur at home, ALFs, nursing facilities and hospitals. Mistreatment should be reported immediately. Helping our most vulnerable citizens and loved ones is of critical important as it helps your loved one and can prevent future abuse and injury of others.
Matters of elder abuse that we have assisted with or referred to colleagues include:
Bed Sores
Those hospitalized or in a nursing home often spend most of their time in a bed or chairs. In some cases, if your loved one has been sedentary for too long bedsores can develop on their hips, feet, joints, back or wherever bones press against fragile skin. If left untreated, bedsores can cause infection, hospitalization, or worse.
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Falls
Falls can be caused by any number of things – from mismanagement of medications to malnutrition. If your loved one suffered a fall, make sure it was not due to mistreatment, abuse, or neglect.
Medication errors
Medication errors are often due to the negligence of staff at a facility. Errors such as distributing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage can be potentially fatal, as medications may be essential for a resident’s survival. One of the most dangerous risks and errors is overmedicating.
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Abuse
Elderly persons are particularly vulnerable to abuse (physical, emotional or sexual). Many with advanced dementia cannot tell their families what is happening, so loved ones must be hyper-aware of this threat. Signs of abuse may include infections, unexplained cuts or bruising, bleeding, and extreme fear of a staff member or other facility resident.