Nursing home neglect comes in many forms. One that is often overlooked is the psychological abuse that individuals may face. Psychological abuse can range from ignoring residents to degrading them. Psychological abuse could include threats or humiliation.
For instance, if a person in a nursing home wets him or herself, it’s fairly common for nurses to clean up the individual and to help them with their sanitation needs. Telling other residents about the situation, teasing the elder or being verbally abusive could be forms of psychological abuse that the elder would face in that situation.
What can you do if you suspect psychological abuse is taking place?
If you think psychological abuse is taking place, then you need to speak up as soon as you can. Reach out to the director of the nursing home and make your concerns known. He or she should look into any instances you believe took place and review any evidence you collected. You may wish to speak to staff members or seek to place a security camera in the room to monitor for further incidents.
In the event that the injuries were severe and that you cannot address the issue through the nursing home itself, you can seek out additional help from your attorney. At that point, there may be a possibility of getting the law involved to help protect your loved one. If you can, moving him or her to a new facility may be the best choice for immediate protection. Our site has more information on how to protect your loved one against nursing home abuse.