Moving an elderly loved one into an assisted living facility or a nursing home can be a heartbreaking decision. Many families each year have to consider the possibility of placing a grandparent or a parent in a facility where their day to day activities and medical needs can be met. We would like to assume that those caretakers with whom we entrust their lives will provide the same degree of care we gave, but unfortunately, that is often not the case. In fact, nursing home neglect and abuse is becoming worse in the United States, and what is taking place in these homes is reprehensible. Various kinds of abuse to the elderly are taking place across the country, and many elderly patients are being neglected each day. An estimated 2.1 million elderly are victims of some form of abuse every year in the United States. What is even more devastating is that for each case of reported nursing home neglect and abuse, there may be as many as five more unreported cases. Studies suggest that elders who are abused tend to die earlier than well taken care of elders, even without chronic and life-threatening conditions. Oklahoma Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys are working to get victims of such abuse the compensation they deserve.
Types of Elderly Abuse
While physical abuse is the most common type of elder abuse, the elderly are also suffering emotional abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and financial exploitation. Some of the most common signs of elderly physical abuse are broken bones, unexplained cuts and bruises and bloody or torn clothing. Elderly emotional abuse could include humiliation, keeping the resident isolated from other residents, ignoring the resident, intimidating the resident by yelling or threatening, or mocking or terrorizing the resident. When an elderly loved one has experienced neglect, you may notice soiled bed linens or clothing, dehydration or malnourishment, poorly administered medications, or living conditions that are unsanitary. If an elder has been sexually abused, they may have bloody undergarments, bruising of the breasts or genital areas, sexually transmitted diseases, or bleeding of the genital or anal area. They may have been forced to watch or look at pornographic material or have inappropriate photos taken against their will. Some are forced to undress or watch sex acts performed by others. The most common type of nonphysical abuse of the elderly is financial exploitation. An elder’s caregiver may steal money, belongings or checks, forge signatures, misuse an elder’s credit cards or bank accounts, authorize excessive transfers or withdrawals of money or steal an elder’s identity.
Oklahoma Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
If an elderly loved one has experienced neglect or abuse from their caretakers, you could have a valid legal case. Contact Oklahoma Attorney Group to speak with experienced Oklahoma Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
