Older adults deserve dignity and respect in a nursing home. Sadly, some facilities don’t always adhere to their duty of care. Countless residents across the country suffer from abuse, even death at the hands of negligent nursing home staff.
However, not all mistreatment results in bodily harm. Unfortunately, verbal abuse is quite common. Even if there’s no physical damage, verbal abuse can take a huge psychological toll on residents. Many already feel upset and anxious while entering a new facility for the first time; bullying can exacerbate those feelings even more.
Is my loved one suffering from hurtful words?
There are many ways this type of abuse can occur. Whether nursing home staff are calling residents names, degrading them or even gaslighting them, this behavior is unacceptable. Moreover, people should know the red flags of verbal abuse. These signs may indicate an elderly loved one is suffering:
- They’ve become depressed over time.
- They’re more easily agitated than they used to be.
- They’ve developed sleep problems/irregular sleeping patterns.
- They continuously feel anxious or nervous.
- Their personality/behavior changes.
- They express low self-esteem.
Abusers must be held accountable
As many enter their final stages of life, nursing home residents deserve compassion and respect from anyone who serves them. When staff and nursing home administrators violate their duty of care, they can hurt residents as they try to enjoy their final years. If a person’s loved one faces mistreatment of any kind, they can benefit from aggressive and robust legal representation.