Having left your loved one in the care of a nursing home, you expect staff to treat them well. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Some staff may even be neglectful.
There is a difference between nursing home abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, signs of the latter can be even harder to pick up on. Neglect is not always done with malicious intent the way abuse is, but the end results can be equally traumatic. Though neglect can be intentional, it is often a side-effect of staff stretched too thin compared to the number of residents they care for.
There are many signs of neglect in the staff and building that you can watch for. For example, check for a high turnover rate. See if the staff remember the resident’s names. Talk to employees to see what they say about their employers and the state of the home.
Not only do signs of neglect exist in the staff or the nursing home facility itself, but your loved one can also show signs. Make sure that you observe your loved one’s physical and mental state. Are they looking more tired? Thin? Do they seem to be showing signs that they are not eating enough, or that they have been missing medications? Have they been getting baths, if they require assistance? Is the state of their room clean? What about themselves?
Mentally, do they seem nervous, anxious, or otherwise distressed? Neglected residents often feel lonely and may become reclusive, lash out, or seek out the company of others. Any of these could be signs of neglect and may be worth looking into.