Texas Nursing Home Abuse: Have a Loved One in a Nursing Home? You Must Read This Blog
When families of the elderly are unable to provide the best level of care, they often choose a nursing home that they believe will provide a safe, comfortable, and loving environment for their family members. Although hundreds of family members put their trust in nursing homes in Texas to care for their loved ones, it is important for these individuals to be aware of the signs of nursing home abuse.
Unfortunately, allegations of abuse are ongoing at five separate nursing homes in the San Antonio region. The nursing homes were flagged for allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and verbal abuse. So, what does this mean for you if you have a loved one in a nursing home? Thomas J. Henry Law explains what you can do to be proactive and protect your elderly loved one.
Be Aware of the Signs of Abuse
The best way to protect an elderly loved one from abuse that can occur in a nursing home is to be more aware of the signs of abuse. When someone is being abused, they might not come right out and say it due to fear and embarrassment. However, if you are noticing sores, bruises, and scrapes on your loved one, you should ask about them and report anything unusual right away.
You should make it a priority to visit your elderly loved one to have conversations and to make sure that nothing suspicious or predatory is going on. And, if you have that gut instinct that something is happening, you can set up a nanny cam in the room to keep an eye on what is going on with your loved one when you are not there.
Report Incidents of Abuse
If you have reason to believe abuse is going on and you have evidence to prove it, you should report it right away. Not only is it necessary to report the incident to the manager of the nursing home, but also to the police to get them involved.
The police may arrest and charge an individual with elder abuse when there is a substantial amount of evidence to support the claims, including photos of injuries and surveillance footage that shows abuse taking place. These incidents should always be reported because those that abuse the elderly must be held accountable for what they are doing.
Get an Attorney Involved
You will need to get a Texas personal injury attorney involved. Although criminal charges are often filed when someone is accused of abusing an elderly person, it is still important to hire a Texas nursing home abuse attorney who can help you take action against the nursing home by filing a civil lawsuit. The nursing home must be held accountable for the actions of their employee(s).
They are supposed to provide a safe environment where the elderly can receive the help they need around the clock. When the environment becomes toxic and downright dangerous, there is a huge problem that needs to be addressed. By filing a civil lawsuit, loved ones of the elderly can work with an attorney to fight for compensation due to the injuries and emotional trauma that their loved one has experienced.
Is Your Loved One a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse? Thomas J. Henry Law Would Like to Help
When your loved one is a victim of abuse that is taking place in a nursing home, you need to hire a Texas personal injury attorney, along with contacting the police to make a report of the abuse. Thomas J. Henry Law will fight for your elderly loved one who deserves to receive the best care possible. Call our law office at 866-517-5659 to book a consultation.
