Elder abuse in a long-term care facility can be traumatizing for everyone involved. We encourage you to take immediate action. Consider these four steps:
1. Remove Your Loved One from the Long-Term Care Facility
If possible, removing your loved one from the nursing home can be the best action you can take. This allows you to pursue clarity and answers in the midst of nursing home abuse. Your loved one may feel more willing to open up to you about what happened if they are in a safe place, away from the abuse.
2. Take Your Loved One to a Medical Professional
As a person ages, their body will respond differently to the outside world. Bruises may form more easily if they bump into an object or pain may feel more severe if a fall occurs, for example. It is important for a medical professional to evaluate your loved one’s physical changes to determine if these changes are associated with natural aging or elder abuse in a long-term care facility.
3. Document the Abuse with Pictures, Videos, & Notes
From the moment your suspicions enter your mind or your loved one indicates abuse, start documenting the elder abuse. Use as many resources as you can, such as:
- Photos
- Videos
- Notes
- Voice Recorder
Include as much information as possible such as the date, details of the suspected abuse, your suspicions, the name of the caregiver(s) if applicable, time, and anything else that seems relevant. This information can greatly help your nursing home abuse lawyers while they pursue justice on behalf of your loved one.
4. Schedule a Consultation with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Elder abuse in a nursing home or long-term care facility can be paralyzing to the loved one and family. In some cases, it will require an emotional, mental, and physical recovery journey to take place. We want to encourage you to talk to a nursing home abuse attorney, as well, during this time. An attorney can fight for the law to hold those responsible for the abuse which, in turn, will protect other elderly people.
Clark, Smith & Sizemore is your compassionate nursing home abuse law firm. Call us: 478-254-5040
Stay tuned for our six-part series on elder abuse in a skilled nursing facility, also called nursing home abuse:
- FAQs – Abuse in a Skilled Nursing Facility
- Types of Physical Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities
- Risk Factors that May Contribute to Nursing Home Abuse
- What to do if You Suspect Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities
- How to Report Abuse in a Skilled Nursing Facility
- When is a Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Necessary?