Elder abuse in nursing homes is becoming a more regular occurrence around the country, even though the facilities and their staff have the legal obligation to protect residents’ rights in all situations. This includes the basic right to a safe environment without abuse of any type, including emotional abuse. If these rights are violated, the nursing home can be held responsible in a personal injury lawsuit.
Types of Emotional Abuse
Elder emotional abuse can also be known as psychological abuse and is generally an infliction of distress or pain through verbal or nonverbal communication towards the elder. Common types include harassment, insults, humiliation, and threats. Though it is widely underreported, there are approximately 2.5 million elder emotional abuse victims every year in the US as cited by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Also noteworthy is that around 65% of abuse victims are women.
Emotional abuse in nursing homes is difficult to identify as there aren’t always physical signs of the resident’s emotional distress.Some signs that your loved one may have suffered from emotional abuse can be displaying emotional disturbance/agitation, becoming withdrawn or non-communicative, or behaving differently if certain people are in the room. Specific examples of emotionally abusive behavior against elders are:
- Humiliating or ridiculing the resident
- Intimidating the resident through yelling or threatening behavior
- Ignoring or isolating the resident from activities or other residents or caregivers
- Scapegoating or blaming the resident
- Engaging in demeaning behavior towards the resident
- Terrorizing or demeaning the resident
Why speak with a nursing home abuse attorney?
Elder abuse in nursing homes has grown to be a severe problem throughout the country, and it can be difficult to know who can be held responsible for the pain of your loved one. Our skilled nursing home abuse attorneys can gather evidence from the facility to build a compelling case and maximize possible compensation.
The legal team here at Kwartler Manus, LLC is dedicated to providing justice to abused nursing home residents and has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. Contact us online today or by phone at (267) 457-5570 to help you navigate the legal process and obtain justice for your loved one.