Our Guide to Reporting Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Abuse and neglect are devastating life events that can happen to anyone regardless of gender and age. Nursing home residents are especially vulnerable because of their conditions. It’s unfortunate and appalling to think these cases can happen because these institutions are supposed to care for their needs.
While Arizona has set state laws to protect nursing home residents, these horrific cases remain rampant and often unreported. For this reason, families must educate themselves about the rules and contact a top personal injury attorney immediately.
This article will guide you to reporting nursing home abuse and neglect to protect your vulnerable loved ones and get well-deserved justice.
Who Should Report Nursing Home Abuse in Arizona?
Families should educate themselves about the legal process for reporting suspected cases of abuse or neglect. State laws require healthcare professionals, social workers, and law enforcement personnel to report all instances of abuse or neglect that they witness. Families must immediately raise the issue and seek a top personal injury attorney if they spot any signs of abuse or neglect.
Tips to Reporting Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Loved ones must be observant and look for signs of mistreatment to recognize abuse in a nursing home. These red flags include bruises, behavioral changes, difficulty communicating, and a general decline in well-being. You should also be careful, especially if your elderly loved one suffers from cognitive issues. Once you spot any of these signs, you must report them immediately and let professionals investigate this case further.
3 Things You Should Report Immediately
While physical changes like unexplained injuries are apparent warning signs of abuse, you must also watch out for sudden changes in your elderly loved ones’ attitudes and behaviors. After discussing who’s responsible and how to report abuse and neglect cases, this section will enumerate three crucial indicators to immediately notify the people in charge.
1. Physical Abuse
It occurs when the abuser uses force against someone that causes them harm or injury. These include slapping, punching, kicking, pushing, and other physical attacks. Relatives must also not overlook unexplained injuries like bruises, cuts, and burns. Moreover, your elderly loved one may suffer from physical abuse if they feel reluctant to explain their injuries because they fear the abuser may cause further harm.
2. Behavioral and Emotional Changes
Your loved one may suffer from abuse or neglect if they seem unhappy, exhausted, withdrawn, or isolated from specific individuals. You should ask them questions about their well-being, such as their eating habits, physical health, daily routine, and how they interact with the caregivers and staff. You should watch out for their emotional state. That way, you can help identify the signs of emotional abuse.
3. Neglect
Nursing home residents may be vulnerable to neglect if their caregivers fail to meet their needs. This case can manifest in different ways, such as inadequate nutrition, lack of assistance with daily activities, insufficient help with walking, or a decline in personal hygiene. You should also watch for hazardous environmental conditions like cluttered hallways or unclean rooms because they can cause falls and other injuries.
Where to Report These Cases
Here are two of the many agencies where you can report nursing home abuse and neglect cases.
1. Local Law Enforcement
You should promptly report suspected nursing home mistreatment or neglect to the proper authorities so they can open an investigation and protect the victim from the alleged abuser.
2. Adult Protective Services (APS)
This organization investigates cases of nursing home abuse, neglect, and exploitation. You can report them online or through their elder abuse hotline.
Conclusion
No elderly loved one or family member deserves to suffer from nursing home abuse and neglect because it can negatively affect their overall well-being. Fortunately, you can do something about it by reporting it immediately and working with top personal injury attorneys.
If you’re looking for the top personal injury attorneys in Phoenix, let us help. Bossie, Reilly, & Oh are committed to giving the elderly and the most vulnerable people in the community a voice. Contact us now, and let’s help you get well-deserved justice!