Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Elder abuse in Homestead is unfortunately quite common and affects hundreds of families across South Florida each year. If you have an elderly loved one, you will want to make sure that your family member is protected from neglect and abuse in Homestead nursing homes and elder care facilities. Neglect and abuse can easily occur in a nursing home or assisted living facility or even in the home with a family-based caregiver. If you’re wondering how safe your loved ones are, keep in mind that you will want to ask yourself the following questions:
1) How much have you researched the facility or caregiver? Before hiring anyone to take care of a family member or before placing a family member in any assisted-living facility or nursing home, it is important to investigate the person or persons who will be providing care. This means doing research, checking for any prior history of abuse or negligence, and conducting a thorough investigation to make sure that the caregiver is well-equipped to handle the care required. If you are placing your loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home, you may want to speak to other families and visit the nursing home several times before you make a decision about care.
2) Are there any signs of abuse or neglect? Unexplained injuries, unexplained slip and fall accidents in Homestead, and withdrawal or signs of depression can all indicate neglect or abuse. In some cases, abuse is evident in bruises and broken bones. However, keep in mind that sexual abuse, financial abuse, and emotional abuse may leave no obvious physical symptoms. The symptoms may be so subtle that they are easy to miss.
3) How much good communication is in place? One of the best defenses against elder abuse and neglect is good communication between the elderly loved one and their friends and family. Abusers will often look for vulnerable elderly patients and residents – especially those with no friends and family looking out for them. If you communicate regularly with someone in an assisted-living facility, nursing home, or other caregiver situation, they may be more likely to indicate something is wrong and may be more trusting in revealing abuse and neglect. Frequent visits will also better allow you to spot injuries and signs of nursing home abuse and neglect in Homestead.
4) How healthy is my elderly loved one? Someone who is ill or unable to communicate effectively is much more vulnerable, because they cannot report abuse neglect. Make sure that your family member visits the doctor regularly and gets as much medical help as possible to improve quality of life and to make communication possible.
If you suspect that your elderly loved one is the victim of abuse or neglect, you can always reach Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free, no obligation case review. The attorneys at Flaxman Law Group have more than 60 years of combined legal experience and have handled thousands of personal injury cases, recovering more than $100 million for plaintiffs.