Placing a family member in a nursing home is rarely an easy experience, but sometimes it is necessary if they can no longer take care of themselves.
You should be able to trust that the nursing home staff will take proper care of your family member and provide them with a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, most of us have heard stories of nursing home abuse and neglect, so it is natural to worry about your family member while they are in nursing home care.
Watch out for these injuries
There are some common types of nursing home injuries to watch for since they could be signs of abuse or neglect.
Some typical injuries include:
- Bedsores
- Broken bones
- Bruises
- Infections
Bedsores occur when a person lays in a sedentary position for too long. Bedsores are extremely painful and can sometimes result in serious infections.
Many nursing home residents have little or no mobility and rely on staff to regularly change their positions. Neglecting to do this can cause bedsores.
Do not be afraid to question nursing home staff
If your family member suffers a broken bone while in a nursing home, ask staff how it occurred. It may be a sign of abuse or neglect, such as if a wet floor was not cleaned in time and caused a slip and fall.
Mysterious bruises for which your loved one has no explanation are another sign of potential abuse. Bruises can form for legitimate reasons, but also be another sign of abuse.
Questioning your family member
You can try asking your family member how they received any injuries. However, nursing home residents are sometimes hesitant to let family members know what is going on, out of fear of retaliation.
Frequent or constant infections should be examined, as well. Infections are relatively common in a nursing home environment due to the large number of people close together, but nursing home staff should be taking proper measures to treat infections.
Since these common injuries could be a sign your family member is experiencing abuse or neglect, knowing your options in this situation is important.