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Nursing home residents in California require care around the clock. Because nursing home patients cannot look after their own basic needs, the signs of abuse and neglect can be obvious. Here are some things to look out for if you have a loved one in a nursing home.
Poor Personal Hygiene and a Messy Room
While poor personal hygiene is the more dangerous of these two issues, a messy room can also be a serious sign of nursing home negligence. Nursing home patients need to be bathed and dressed regularly and their rooms need to be sanitary. When nursing homes are understaffed, basic hygiene requirements and upkeep of rooms is sometimes neglected.
Unexplained Injuries and Declining Health
An unexplained injury like a broken bone, bruise or bump on the head could be a sign or nursing home abuse. It may also be evidence that a nursing home patient is not being monitored. Sometimes, neglected patients will try to take care of themselves while nurses are unavailable.
Declining health in a nursing home patient is not always just a sign of aging. A sudden and unexplained loss of energy or appetite should be looked into. When nursing homes are neglecting their patients, patients may become ill because of dehydration and malnutrition.
Emotional Changes
If you have a family member in a nursing home, you’ll probably be able to notice when something is wrong with them psychologically. A sudden change in mood like depression or anger could be a sign that your loved one is suffering from abuse or neglect.
Report Suspected Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
If you notice signs that an elderly person is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, you can report it to law enforcement. There may also be nursing home neglect advocates in your area that can help.