Signs and Symptoms of Nursing Home Abuse
Physical Abuse: any action that causes or creates bodily injury, pain, or physical impairment
Signs and Symptoms:
- Bruises, suspicious marks on the body
- Broken bones, fractures of any kind
- Wounds
- Injuries of any kind
- Suspicious change in patient’s disposition
- Damaged clothing/eyeglasses
- Drug tests that show evidence of improper prescription drug use
- Testimony of patient claiming to have been abused
Sexual Abuse: any form of unwanted or non-consensual sexual contact
Signs and Symptoms:
- Bruises, suspicious marks around private areas of the patient’s body
- Sexually transmitted diseases/infections
- Vaginal/anal irritation and/or bleeding
- Damaged clothing
- Stained clothing
- Testimony of patient claiming to have been sexually abused
Psychological and Emotional Abuse: a patient is the victim of someone who wishes to cause them psychological and/or mental torment or suffering
Signs and Symptoms:
- Patient has a negative emotional disposition
- Patient shies away from communication and social contact
- Patient shows signs of dementia
- Testimony of patient claiming to have been threatened, humiliated, intimidated, or the victim of some other sort of verbal or emotional harassment
Neglect: nursing home fails to provide the quantity or quality of care agreed upon in the patient’s personalized care plan
Signs and Symptoms:
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Bed sores
- Persistent and ignored illness
- Poor hygiene
- Unsafe/unclean living conditions