The holidays are a time for visiting family and friends, and that does not exclude those who are in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Nursing homes are not always equipped with proper staffing, proper knowledge, or proper procedures to ensure the absolute safety of their residents. When visiting a loved one in one of these facilities, it is important to look out for them to ensure they are being properly cared for. There are both physical and emotional signs you can look out for when trying to identify the wellbeing of your loved one.
Physically, you can look for these signs:
- Bruises – bruises can be the result of your loved one being assaulted, either by another resident or by a member of the staff. Bruises can be an indication of internal bleeding.
- Abrasions – abrasions can be the result of your loved one being assaulted, either by another resident or by a member of the staff. This can be a serious detriment to their health and must be addressed immediately.
- Bedsores – bedsores can be extremely lethal. Bedsores occur because nursing home staff is uneducated about how often residents need to be repositioned.
- Malnutrition – malnutrition can be seen in people that are fed the wrong types of foods. These foods can lack the proper proteins or vitamins, leading to muscle deficiencies, as well as other adverse effects.
- Unexplained weight loss – unexplained weight loss can be an indication that your loved one is not being fed the proper number of calories per day or could mean that food is being withheld from them.
Not only may you notice some physical signs, but you may also notice some emotional signs as well.
- Personality changes
- Acting scared or angry with staff
- Lack of enthusiasm in their everyday life
Although there are many things we can do to check on our loved ones, sometimes we cannot prevent injury, or worse, from happening. In this case, it is important to understand what options you have. First, make sure your loved one receives the proper medical attention immediately. Second, contact the Illinois Department of Public Health so they can perform an internal investigation of the nursing home. Next, it is important to consult an attorney. An attorney who is experienced in nursing home neglect law can be a great asset to your case. An attorney acts as an advocate for you and your loved ones at one of the most emotionally difficult times in a persons’ life. The attorneys at Spiros Law, P.C. are extremely educated about nursing home neglect. To set up a free consultation, call (815) 929-9292, visit one of our three offices located in Kankakee, Champaign, and Danville, or visit our homepage to talk to our 24/7 chatbox.
