7 Types of Abuse That Take Place in Nursing Homes

Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry L. Cochran

Abuse in long-term care facilities happens more than you want to imagine, which means a lot of folks don’t spot it right away until something starts to feel off. Things like a strange bruise or changes in mood might be the first things you notice, or your loved one might seem withdrawn or afraid.

Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. has seen plenty of cases involving elder abuse that should have been prevented. Here’s a guide to help you learn about the types of nursing home abuse that exist and how you can spot them. We’ll also tell you what you can do if something’s not right.

What Is Nursing Home Abuse?

Nursing home abuse happens when staff, visitors, or other residents harm a resident on purpose or through dangerous neglect. Sometimes it’s obvious, like bruises or broken bones, but things like emotional manipulation or financial abuse can be harder to detect, and a lot of cases don’t get reported because the victim’s afraid of retaliation, or they just can’t communicate what’s going on.

The 7 Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Physical Abuse

Hitting, pushing, restraining with unnecessary force, or using medication to sedate a resident without medical justification all count as physical abuse. You might see unexplained bruises, cuts, or fractures, and your loved one may become anxious around certain staff.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Staff might yell, insult, threaten, or isolate residents, and obviously, that kind of abuse usually happens behind closed doors, but the signs to look for are sudden mood changes or fear of certain caregivers. If your loved one’s able to communicate, but all of a sudden they don’t want to talk about their day, that’s something to pay attention to.

Sexual Abuse

Any unwanted sexual contact or behavior with residents is abuse; inappropriate touching, forced nudity, and taking explicit photos. If your loved one has cognitive impairments, that puts them at more risk because they might have a harder time telling you what happened.

Financial Exploitation

Unfortunately, seniors often fall victim to theft and scams because of memory issues or because they’re not as aware of their finances. Staff might forge their signatures, steal property, or con them into giving them money. We’ve even seen cases where they pressure residents into changing their wills. It can take months or years for you to find out.

Neglect

Not giving residents basic care counts as neglect in nursing homes; skipping meals, ignoring calls for help, leaving residents in soiled clothing, not turning bedridden patients to prevent bedsores, etc. Some of the warning signs are rapid weight loss, dehydration, untreated infections, and pressure ulcers.

Medical Neglect

If a facility ignores serious health needs, then it’s medical neglect. Failing to administer prescribed medications or not calling a doctor when symptoms appear or get worse are serious offenses since Michigan law requires nursing homes to follow care plans and document all medical interventions.

Abandonment

Leaving a resident alone for extended periods or discharging them without proper arrangements is abandonment. If your loved one gets dropped off at the hospital and the nursing home staff doesn’t let you know, that’s abandonment. The same goes if the home refuses to take your loved one back after a medical appointment or some other outing.

Recognizing Nursing Home Abuse Signs

Don’t ignore your instincts. Common nursing home abuse signs are physical indicators like bruises, burns, bedsores, fractures, sudden weight loss, poor hygiene, or signs of restraint marks.

Withdrawal, fear, anxiety, depression, or agitation around certain staff are signs of emotional abuse, and environmental red flags include dirty rooms, strong odors, broken equipment, and inadequate staffing.

Look at the National Institute on Aging website for more detailed resources to use when you visit a facility. Look for patterns, not isolated incidents.

What Families Should Do If They Suspect Abuse

Act fast and document everything you see. That means taking pictures of any injuries, saving medical records, writing down dates and details of any interactions that made you uncomfortable, etc.

Talk to your loved one in private and ask open-ended questions about their daily routine and how they get along with the staff. If you’ve got any concerns, report them to the facility administrator, since they’re required by law to investigate all abuse allegations right away.

File a complaint with Adult Protective Services, too, and contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for investigations. Think about moving your loved one to a safer facility as well. Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can help you figure out emergency placement options while we build your legal case.

Legal Rights and Accountability

Michigan residents have strong legal protections against elder abuse in nursing homes, so families can make civil claims for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. If the case is severe and your loved one was intentionally hurt or grossly negligent, there can be punitive damages.

When abuse or neglect in nursing homes happens, the facilities have to answer for what happened. In Michigan, you’ve got two years from the date of injury to file a suit.

How Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. Helps Families

We investigate Michigan nursing home abuse claims across the state, reviewing medical records, interviewing witnesses, and consulting with healthcare experts who can explain how the injuries occurred.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, elder abuse is significantly underreported, so it’s critical to get a thorough legal investigation. Winning compensation helps families cover medical bills, but it exposes dangerous practices, too, so families become more aware, and facilities have no choice but to improve their policies.

Get Help for Nursing Home Abuse

If your loved one’s been the victim of nursing home abuse, contact us at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. for a free consult. We work on contingency, which means you don’t pay anything unless we get compensation for your family.

Call us now at 1-866-MICH-LAW or reach out online to schedule a free case evaluation. We’re available 24/7.

Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.