If you have a parent living in a nursing home, you may feel anxious about his or her well-being. It is normal to be concerned about your parents’ happiness and comfort when they are no longer independent and must rely on someone to care for them, especially when they are approaching their final days. As we at the Harvey, Foote & Baker Law Firm know, New Mexico residents should also be aware that some nursing home staff members do not have their residents’ best interests in mind.
In previous posts in this blog, we have discussed unintentional forms of nursing home abuse or neglect, such as when a member of staff forgets to give your loved one a necessary medication, allows a bedsore to develop or fails to safeguard the rooms of residents who are at risk of falls. It is also important to understand that some instances of nursing home abuse are intentional. FindLaw explains that some caregivers are deliberately malicious or abusive. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice claims that about one out of 10 senior citizens are abused each year. Intentional acts of nursing home abuse can range from emotional and verbal abuse – in which caregivers may threaten, yell at, insult or taunt your loved one – to sexual assault and violent attacks.
It is heartbreaking to imagine that your parent may be the target of a malicious caregiver. As explained in previous blog posts and on our page on nursing home neglect and abuse, you may protect your loved one by being aware of the signs of elder abuse and keeping lines of communication open with your parent.