Do your parents reside in a skilled nursing facility? Do you expect that the staff will take care of your parents? Unfortunately, the standard of care can fall short in some facilities. How can you be sure that your parents are not suffering nursing home abuse and neglect? We would like to share some tips that can help you protect your parents and ensure their safety.

Be sure at every visit, to look for signs of abuse. Abuse can be physical, emotional, financial, sexual, or neglectful. It is important to look for these signs every time you visit. In addition, pay attention to any changes in the behavior, attitude, and health of your parents.

Physical signs of abuse to look for include:

• Dehydration
• Bed sores
• Fractures, falls, or head injuries
• Malnutrition
• Rapid weight loss or weight gain
• Unexplained welts, bruises, or other wounds
• Unclean conditions and unsanitary conditions
• Your parents are frequently ill or have frequent infections

Behavioral signs of abuse include:

• Showing agitation or becoming extremely withdrawn
• No longer communicating with family members and friends
• Beginning to wander around inexplicably
• Wanting to be isolated from other people
• Fear of being touched
• Biting or rocking
• Reluctance to speak in front of certain nursing staff members

When visiting, pay attention to the staff, other residents, and look at the records for your parents. Be aware of how the staff treats your parents. During your visit if no one checks in on you, that could be a sign of neglect. However, if a staff member stays in the room and will not leave during your visit, that could be a sign of controlling abusive behavior by the staff member. Always notice how staff members interact with other residents as you walk down the halls because that can be a sign of how they treat your parents when you are not visiting.

Do you notice foul smells or unsanitary conditions? That could be a sign of neglect. Always keep up and review your parents’ bank statements and bills, checking for strange and unusual transactions, which can be a sign of financial abuse.

If you find something that concerns you, do not wait to seek help. We know you may have questions about this, and many other, issues. At the Perlin Estate Planning & Probate our credentials enable us to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to our legal services. By building relationships with our clients, we are also able to understand each client’s needs and desires, and we support such goals through thoughtful, comprehensive planning techniques. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.