Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Pennsylvania
Sometimes when we get older, we can no longer take care of ourselves in the same way that we were once able to. Further, when this happens, sometimes the families that we’ve raised simply don’t have the means or time so support us. When this is the case, families often turn to nursing homes in order to find the consistent, ongoing care that elderly individuals need when they reach that late stage in life. By and large, the people that staff these nursing homes are excellent, and they take the care of the elderly individuals that are under their watch very seriously. However, as the number of nursing homes in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the country has continued to rise, standards have slipped in some areas. Unfortunately, this has led to increased incidents of nursing home abuse.
Forms of Nursing Home Abuse in Pennsylvania
Abuse that takes place in nursing home is just like any other kind of abuse. It can manifest itself in a wide variety of ways, but there are essentially three categories that any abusive act can fall under: neglect, physical and psychological.
- Neglect: When an elderly individual is in a nursing home, he or she needs ongoing attention and care to ensure that his or her needs are tended to. Sadly, in some nursing homes the staff believes that the elderly can simply fend for themselves. This leads to missed medication, lack of exercise or social interaction, and various other things. If a nursing home is neglecting to tend to the elderly individuals that are under its care, then that’s abusive.
- Physical: Although not as common as neglect, it still happens. Sometimes staff are uncommonly rough with the elderly individuals under their care, and in the worst cases can actually strike and hit those elderly people. This occurs most often with those who have cognitive impairments that prevent them from taking direction or communicating. This form of nursing home abuse is despicable, but it can also be easy to spot.
- Psychological: Unlike neglect and physical abuse, psychological abuse may be harder to detect due to the fact that there are not always outward signs of it. In fact, many elderly individuals may not be able to communicate if they are suffering from this kind of abuse, which can range from staff being verbally abusive to things that are far more sinister. However, a watchful eye can spot the signs, particularly if an elderly individual is being manipulated into cutting off communication with family and friends.
Nursing home abuse is a very serious matter, which needs to be promptly addressed if it is believed to be taking place. Those who participate in it must be brought to justice by the criminal courts. In addition this, however, those establishments that allow it to transpire under their watch must be held accountable. To do this, an elderly individual or their family can get in touch with a nursing home abuse attorney, who will fight for their rights and pursue the fullest compensation and damages allowed by law.
How to Contact a Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
At Heavens Law, we have a team of highly experienced and qualified nursing home abuse attorneys who are ready to assist you. All you need to do is call 1-800-HEAV-LAW in order to set up a free consultation. In this consultation, you will have the opportunity to share your story, and one of our nursing home abuse attorneys will review the facts and present the options available to you. At Heavens Law, we believe that the elderly should be treated with dignity and respect, and we’ll help you to make sure that happens!
