If you have a loved one that is currently living at a nursing home, you may have concerns about if they are being neglected or abused during the times that you are not visiting. If you find evidence of your loved one being harmed, you could file a lawsuit against the facility for the damages that they caused. That's why it's important to know what kind of injuries to look out for.

Bed Sores

A common problem that can affect someone in a nursing home is bed sores. These are caused when someone is immobile and mainly stays in a bed, and they are not moved or turned by a caretaker periodically. This allows pressure to build up on certain points of the body, which leads to sores forming. You'll want to check for sores on their body that look infected with red edges or have a bad odor. In extreme situations, the tissue at the site will die and turn black. 

Fall Injuries 

Nursing home residents may need more supervision than the typical person, especially if they are weak and prone to falls. If someone is neglected and expected to get around on their own, it's possible that they will suffer falls that lead to injuries. Some injuries, such as a broken bone, will be very obvious and hard to hide. However, someone may have bruises that cannot be explained, which may be due to falls.

Medication Mistakes

It is the responsibility of the caretakers at the nursing home to distribute medications to their patients. It can be hard to verify what medications are and are not being given, which is why you want to look for the side effects of not taking the medications that are known to you. It's also a good idea to be at the nursing home at times when medication is given, and verify that the medications are correct. Consider photographing the pills to do your research later. 

Emotional Abuse

One of the hardest types of nursing home abuse to prove is emotional abuse. This can best be discovered by looking at how a loved one in the facility reacts around caretakers. Do they appear scared to interact with certain people? Do they just want to stay in their room instead of interacting with others? Are they acting more emotional than they typically do around you? These are all examples of emotional abuse to look out for. 

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