Aging is only natural, so there may come a time when you’re forced to decide if your elderly parents can take care of themselves. If not, you may place them into a nursing home. A nursing home is responsible for ensuring your loved one’s safety, but that does not always happen.
Old age might have impacted your parent’s memory or physical health, and the deterioration of these faculties makes them especially susceptible to mistreatment by others. Maltreatment of an older person is a simplified definition of elder abuse.
What is elder abuse?
Elder abuse shows up in many forms but overall centers around taking advantage of a vulnerable older population. The National Council on Aging outlines various types of elder abuse. Common types include:
- Physical abuse: Physical abuse refers to incidents where nursing home aides and workers physically injure a vulnerable person.
- Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse can come in the form of insults, verbal abuse, yelling, threats and harassment.
- Willful neglect: This type of negligence refers to purposefully withholding necessities such as medicine, physical assistance and food from an older adult. Such neglect endangers the abused individual’s emotional and mental states.
- Passive neglect: Another form of neglect, this occurs when a nursing home aide or worker fails to provide an elderly person with the fundamentals needed to survive.
- Isolation: Isolating or confining a vulnerable adult can negatively impact their mental and physical health. Unless required for
Understanding elder abuse can help you evaluate the quality of care a nursing home provides for your parent. There are also symptoms of elder abuse to look for when interacting with your loved one.
You may believe placing your parent in a nursing home ensures their needs will be met. Yet, the unfortunate reality of elder abuse could prove otherwise. If you’re concerned about your aging parent’s well-being in a nursing home and believe recurring injuries, trouble sleeping and a withdrawn nature are side effects of negligence and abuse, you may have a case against the care facility.