By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas
In Clark County, Pahrump, Summerlin and across the country, senior citizens are the victims of abuse. It is something that doesn’t get a lot of attention, especially in comparison to child abuse and spousal abuse, but it occurs far too often.
Sometimes senior citizen abuse is obvious, like when a caregiver verbally abuses, unreasonably restrains, or withholds food or medication from a senior in a nursing home. But as with domestic or child abuse, the signs of elder abuse are often not very obvious.
This video exemplifies nursing home abuse and the pain and suffering many seniors struggle with:
Here are some of the signs that a senior citizen may be suffering from abuse and what you should look out for:
- Injuries like bruises or sores that recur yet remain unexplained
- Injuries which appear to have been caused by cigarettes, ropes, chains, or lack of basic care
- Sudden weight loss, evidence of malnutrition or dehydration that is unrelated to illness
- Sudden withdrawal and/or a hesitation to talk openly
- Being afraid or uncomfortable around caregivers
- Denial of injuries or implausible or contradictory statements about them
- A consistently dirty environment where feces or urine may be constantly present
- Refusal by the caregiver to let the senior speak for himself or herself
- Refusal by the caregiver to let you be alone with the senior
- Anger or ambivalence exhibited toward the senior by the caregiver
- Differences between the accounts of the injuries given by the caregiver and the senior
If you notice any of these signs of abuse or neglect, you should notify either the managers of the nursing home facility or the police. If you think that a family member is a victim of senior abuse or negligence, take immediate steps to remove your loved one from the abusive situation. You may also want to seek the counsel of a nursing home abuse injury lawyer and determine if filing a lawsuit is appropriate.
About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.