Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in Denver
One of the most challenging and heartbreaking aspects of nursing home neglect is how hard it can be for family members to identify exactly how their loved one is being mistreated. In a lot of situations, even attentive relatives of nursing home residents can be unaware that anything is wrong at all, due to nursing home staff members intimidating residents into silence or the residents themselves lacking the cognitive ability to communicate what they are dealing with.
In light of this, knowing some of the most common warning signs of nursing home neglect in Denver is essential for anyone who has made the hard decision to place their family member under someone else’s full-time care. If you believe that a nursing home resident is being mistreated, a nursing home neglect attorney could help you take appropriate legal action once the resident’s condition is stabilized.
Neglect in a Nursing Home Can Take Many Different Forms
Of course, some symptoms of neglectful care in a nursing home are immediately obvious—broken bones from sudden falls, massive weight loss due to malnutrition, visibly poor living conditions and personal hygiene, and so on. In other situations, though, the warning signs of nursing home neglect in Denver can be much more subtle.
In order to protect their loved one’s health and wellbeing, family members of nursing home residents should keep an eye out not only for physical signs of mistreatment, but also mental and emotional signs as well. Residents who do not have access to a balanced diet may display sudden mood changes, lack of energy, and withdrawal from activities they previously enjoyed. Likewise, physical conditions like bedsores can lead to depression and anxiety in addition to significant physical discomfort.
Even something as simple as a resident not being dressed appropriately for the season or unreasonable delays from staff members when responding to questions and complaints could indicate some form of neglect. Input from an experienced nursing home neglect attorney could help clarify whether particular symptoms and patterns of behaviors are worth taking legal action over.
What to Do About Nursing Home Mistreatment
While nursing home neglect is extremely dangerous and must be taken seriously, litigation should not always be the first response of a concerned family member. In many cases, small issues with medication delivery, living conditions, and nutritional intake can be remedied with a report to a facility administrator or a conversation with a trusted staff member.
However, if a nursing home resident suffers serious harm that necessitates medical intervention, experiences a distinct loss of quality of life, or prematurely passes away due to neglect, it may be appropriate to notify the Denver Department of Human Services’ Adult Protective Services program, and potentially local law enforcement as well. Following that, legal counsel could help factor any and all damages resulting from that mistreatment into a comprehensive civil lawsuit or settlement demand.
Talk to a Denver Attorney About Nursing Home Neglect Warning Signs
Unfortunately, the information that a single webpage can offer about warning signs of nursing home neglect in Denver is general at best, and you and your loved one’s unique situation may result in unique symptoms and outcomes as well. Ultimately, the best thing you can do to keep a nursing home resident safe is to talk with them and their caretakers often about their condition, and to take seriously any complaints made by a resident about the care they receive.
If you have any further questions about nursing home neglect, an experienced legal representative could answer them for you in a private setting. Call today to schedule your confidential consultation.
