The Top 12 Symptoms of Elder Abuse or Neglect in Nursing Homes
Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) April 14, 2014 -- The Stop EA (elder abuse) campaign is reminding the public to be aware of the common signs of elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
A nursing home, according to the National Institute on Aging, is a place for people who don’t need to be in a hospital but can no longer be cared for at home. This can include people with critical injuries or serious illnesses, or those needing care after surgery.
Many nursing homes in California solicit vulnerable elderly clients with acute medical needs and promise to provide quality, individualized care. Instead, these facilities repeatedly use the same profit-driven philosophy that leads to systemic elder abuse in California.
To protect the residents in these facilities, Stop EA has compiled the following 12 symptoms of elder abuse for members of the public to look for in their loved ones who may be in a nursing home:
• pressure sores / pressure ulcers / bedsores;
• changes of condition / failure of staff to inform family members;
• falls;
• dehydration;
• malnutrition;
• broken bones;
• wandering;
• excessive medication/medication errors;
• physical abuse;
• sexual abuse;
• restraints/chemical restraints; and
• fecal impaction/constipation.
“It can be difficult to believe your loved one could be a victim of nursing home elder abuse or neglect. Some of the signs are very obvious, others are not,” said Jay Renneisen. “Knowing what to look for and learning what questions to ask can help you know for sure and that is why we made this list for the public.”
The Stop EA campaign, a California law firm and collection of elder advocates founded by three experienced elder abuse attorneys, seeks justice for families whose loved one’s have been harmed in these facilities and to make sure that the same thing does not happen to the next vulnerable, unsuspecting family.
Those who are concerned about the quality of care their loved ones may be receiving in one of these facilities can obtain a free, private case evaluation from Stop EA by calling 1-866-864-1800.
For more detailed information on these symptoms, how to report elder abuse and informational videos, visit stopea.org.
STOP EA Contact / Spokesperson: Jay Renneisen 916-442-6000.
Jay Renneisen, Stop EA, http://stopea.org, +1 916-442-6000, [email protected]
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