Signs of Sexual Abuse in a Nursing Home
No one checks in a loved one to a nursing home imagining they would be abused. Nonetheless, abuse is present in far too many Florida nursing homes. And, shockingly, some vulnerable residents are even sexually abused while staying at a facility. As experienced injury attorneys, we recommend looking for some tell-tale signs of sexual abuse and calling our firm as soon as possible. We can intervene to stop the abuse and protect a vulnerable loved one. We can even discuss whether you can bring a personal injury claim against a nursing home.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
Unfortunately, many residents in nursing homes are either very sick or suffering from dementia. They might be unable to tell anyone they are being abused. Instead, look for the following red flags:
- Sexually transmitted infections. Did a loved one come down with gonorrhea, chlamydia, crabs, or another common sexually transmitted infection? If so, that is strong proof they have been sexually assaulted while in the nursing home. A facility might try to hide this information or claim that they are receiving antibiotics for some other reason.
- Bruising or bleeding around the genitals. Consider any bruise or bleeding as flags that your loved one was assaulted while in the home. These attacks can happen while your loved one is asleep or medicated to subdue them.
- Intense fear of a staff member. This red flag is a little tricky. There are many reasons why a nursing home resident might be afraid of a staff member, like a nurse. For example, they could be psychologically or physically abused by this person. However, any fear is a good sign that you should investigate further.
If you call Rita Weber Del Prado, we can investigate and question the nursing home about whether your loved one is being abused. Often, a staff member is committing the abuse, but another resident in the home could be attacking your loved one, also.
The nursing home can have liability for various reasons, including negligent hiring or failure to supervise staff. Some homes also cut corners and understaff their homes, which means even well-meaning staff members cannot catch all abuse. As an example, another resident could have sexually assaulted your loved one because there were not enough staff members to stop the assault while it happened.
Call Our Miami Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
Concerned family members call our office all the time with questions. Maybe you saw something and have concerns but you aren’t sufficiently confident to blame a nursing home for failing to protect a loved one. Let us step in and investigate further. A Miami nursing home abuse lawyer with Pita Weber Del Prado can visit the home, talk with your loved one, and review medical records. We might even interview staff.
Act today. We can seek to have a loved one moved to a safer facility, and we can discuss whether to bring a personal injury claim against an employee or the nursing home itself.
Source:
rainn.org/what-counts-as-sexual-violence/get-the-facts-about-elder-sexual-abuse/
