Signs of nursing home abuse/neglect include:

• Injuries resulting from restraint or lack
   of restraint
• Bed sores and ulcers
• Broken bones and/or unexplained falls
• Excessive and/or rapid weight loss
• Open wounds, cuts, bruises, or welts
• Unexplained or unexpected death
• Failure to provide appropriate food,
   clothing, and shelter
• Failure to prevent or treat malnutrition
   and dehydration
• Failure to assist in personal hygiene
• Failure to prevent falls
• Failure to provide appropriate medical
   care
• Failure to timely change medical devices    such as catheters and feeding tubes

If you suspect a loved one is or has been the victim of elder abuse or nursing home neglect, contact our lawyers immediately.

Improper health care
Inadequate supervision and failure by the nursing home to follow doctor’s orders regarding medical care and treatment of a resident is improper health care. Examples include situations when the nursing home fails to notify the physician of a significant change in the resident’s condition, or to provide access to emergency medical care when necessary. Improper health care can also result in medication errors or unnecessary sedation or the improper use of restraints by the nursing home.

Physical abuse
The injuries that a nursing home resident may suffer as a result of physical abuse can be very serious. Types of physical abuse that can be inflicted by nursing home staff members on elderly nursing home residents include:

• Striking or beating the resident with an    object or with a hand
• Pushing or shoving the resident
• Shaking, slapping, kicking, or pinching
   the resident
• Force feeding the resident
• Using chemical or physical restraints
   that are unnecessary
• Sexual abuse
• Mishandling the resident during
   ambulation (for example, throwing the
   resident into bed, or pushing the
   resident in an attempt to get him or her
   to hurry up)

Injury due to fall
It is the responsibility of a nursing home to assess whether a resident’s condition places him/her at high risk for falls. A resident may fall out of bed or during a transfer to the bathroom or wheelchair. The nursing home’s failure to timely implement fall prevention measures into the resident’s plan of care may constitute gross negligence or recklessness.

Bed/Pressure sores
A nursing home is responsible for periodically assessing whether a resident is at high risk for skin breakdown. Sores or ulcers are typically seen on the legs, heels, buttocks, and other bony prominences of the body. With severe skin sores or ulcers, systemic infection or multi-system organ failure may develop leading to death. Failure by the nursing home to provide reasonable and timely access to a doctor or wound care center for treatment may constitute evidence of neglect.

Malnutrition/Dehydration
A nursing home is responsible for monitoring changes in body weight and follow the standard of care in providing adequate nutrition and hydration to a resident. When a resident shows signs of weight loss or dehydration this can be caused by inadequate diet or inability to eat independently. The nursing home needs to react to implement preventive measures to bring to an end further weight loss or dehydration. Failure to monitor the resident may constitute evidence of neglect.