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While many nursing homes and staff do provide quality care for their patients, nursing home abuse and neglect are more common than many people realize. If you notice certain signs of nursing home abuse, such as bedsores, malnutrition, or poor hygiene, it’s important that you take action quickly. Here’s what you should do:
Be Rational If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
It’s natural to feel upset or even lose your temper if you suspect that your elderly loved one is being abused in their nursing home. However, it’s important to remain calm for your loved one’s sake. Be rational, and don’t rush to conclusions until you have all the facts about the situation.
Ask The Staff Questions
Unless you believe that your loved one is in imminent danger (in which case, you should call the police immediately), then you will want to start by asking the nursing staff questions first. Explain your concerns to both the staff that works directly with your loved one and the facility management team, and see if they can offer any explanations or insight.
Speak With Your Loved One
Ideally, you should speak with your loved one privately. If they are being abused by nursing staff, they may feel intimidated by this person and may not answer your questions honestly for fear of retaliation. You can ask your loved one, for instance, how often they are taken to use the restroom or whether they are being physically abused.
Call The Police If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse
If there is any evidence of clear-cut abuse or you believe your loved one is in imminent danger, you should not hesitate to call your local police department to report the incident. Even if the police are unable to arrest someone at that moment, having this police report on record can help your nursing home abuse lawyer get together evidence later on.
Your elderly loved one has legal rights if they are, in fact, being abused or neglected at their nursing home facility. A compassionate and skilled nursing home abuse attorney will be able to review your case for free and help you take legal action against the right people or institutions.
At Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman, our team is your neighbors here in Mississippi who happen to be lawyers. There is absolutely no cost or fees for us to review your case and help your family through these difficult times. We will do everything in our power to protect what matters most to you.
Contact our Mississippi nursing home abuse lawyers at to get started with a free case review today.
