Iowa Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Law Firm
One of our most vulnerable populations in America is our seniors. When friends and family get older, they are less able to stand up to others and unaware they may be getting taken advantage of by people they once trusted. It’s not always easy to detect nursing care abuse. All too often victims feel helpless, threatened, or may not even know abuse is happening. If you are looking for more information about nursing home abuse in Iowa, you have come to the right place. At Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, nursing home abuse lawyers aggressively pursue these cases to ensure justice is served.
Physical and mental deterioration can significantly impact the quality of life of our seniors, and sadly, there are those who are all too happy to take advantage of this population knowing just that. If you suspect that nursing care neglect is playing a role in your loved one’s life, then we urge you to read on about how to detect it, and what you can do.
Detecting Physical Abuse
While elder physical abuse might seem obvious, the trouble is that it can also go undetected under clothes or if the senior has lost the ability to communicate. When a senior experiences physical abuse, they might show other signs to give you an idea that something isn’t right. This might be a shift in their personality or witnessing struggle between them and their caregiver. If this strikes you as strange, you might want to look for physical signs of abuse such as:
- Bruising, welts or unexplained scars
- Evidence of being restrained such as marks on the wrists or ankles
- Broken items such as meaningful gifts, glasses or other essential items the senior needs
- Unexplained broken bones, sprains or claims of all strange falls
- The senior not wanting to take their medications
- The caregiver not wanting you and the senior to be alone
Signs of Emotional Abuse
One of the most tragic aspects of nursing home abuse is how it impacts the person emotionally. The senior may be troubled or worried all the time, have emerging and new anxiety or start to fall into depression or confusion thinking they have done something wrong. If you notice this kind of behavior in your loved one, reach out to our nursing home abuse attorneys in Iowa. Here are some signs of emotional distress that may cause you to investigate a little further.
- Signs of consistent confusion or dementia-like behaviors
- Nervous energy actions like rocking, fidgeting, and mumbling
- Personality extremes including uncharacterized sadness or anger
- Signs of the caregiver belittling or controlling the senior.
Nursing Home Sexual Abuse
This might be one of the hardest topics to talk about or recognize, but it happens, and we have to mention it. Elder sexual abuse can do significant mental and physical harm to a victim, and it’s best if you know what to look for in case it is happening to your loved one. Here are some things in which to keep an eye out for.
- Unusual and unexplained infections like STDs or UTIs
- Traumas like bruising around the genitals or breasts
- Unexplained soiled undergarments
- Medical conditions that relate to the genitals that cannot be explained by their health conditions
Nursing Home Neglect
Caring for seniors is a challenging job, but that doesn’t mean that a caregiver can neglect their responsibilities. Neglect can lead to a number of different problems in seniors, and there are some signs to be aware of if you suspect it might be happening to your loved one.
- Repeatedly not dressed appropriately for the weather, compromising their health
- Seniors who aren’t bathed or constantly in soiled clothing
- Dirty living conditions and bedding
- Bedsores and signs the senior isn’t being moved regularly
- Dehydration or weight loss
Nursing Home Abuse – Financial Exploitation
Financial abuse happens far too often, as caregivers tend to believe that their trespasses against their victims will be either hard to prove or go undetected. If you suspect that your loved one is being financially harmed at a care facility, call our nursing home abuse attorneys today so we can start investigating. Here are some signs of financial exploitation.
- Visible signs the senior has experienced a financial loss
- Unexplained banking activity like withdrawals
- A change in Power of Attorney or insurance policies
- Missing financial documents or currency
- Adding signatures to accounts like credit or debit cards
- Unusual subscriptions or receipts for items you know the senior doesn’t have or use
Your Legal Rights – Iowa Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm
Detecting abuse isn’t always straight forward, but if you suspect something is wrong, do not hesitate to start investigating. As family and friends, you have the right to question and document anything you feel is out of sorts or concerning. As nursing home neglect lawyers in Iowa, we can help you learn what to look for and how to collect that evidence. We can also obtain this evidence when you are blocked or hit with “regulations” or “policy” excuses.
We have the resources to handle these kinds of cases and years of experience in trying or settling nursing home abuse cases. We can consult medical professionals, get third-party opinions, hire private investigators and make legal requests for documentation to ensure your loved one gets justice. We can build a case quietly, so the senior doesn’t experience any retaliatory behaviors and investigate the people or companies in question. Elder abuse tends to be a pattern and leaves a wake of complaints and violations. If it is happening; we will uncover it.
If you are ready to take the next step in protecting your loved one, please give the best Iowa nursing home neglect attorneys a call at Eells & Tronvold Law Offices. We are here to gather all the details about your case and explain how to pursue this sort of legal matter.