When you have an elderly family member who is in the care of a nursing facility, you assume that they’re being taken care of properly—but unfortunately that’s not always the case.
If you suspect that your loved one is being physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially abused by any of the staff at their nursing home, then you need to take immediate action to remove them from the situation and report the abuse to the authorities.
Nursing home abuse is a difficult problem to navigate, and it’s often hard to determine what the right thing to do is, especially when you have an elderly loved one who is resistant to changing their environment. When you need help after your elderly family member has been abused in a nursing home, you can immediately reach out to a nursing home abuse hotline. A nursing home abuse hotline is there to connect you with social workers, lawyers, and the proper authorities to take care of your situation. Here’s more information about nursing home abuse hotlines and what you can do legally if you have a loved one who has experienced abuse in a nursing home setting.
CALL THE POLICE IF IT’S A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY
First things first, if your elderly family member or loved one is in a life-threatening abuse situation, don’t wait another minute—call 9-1-1 immediately and seek legal counsel. It’s important that your family receive immediate medical attention if it’s necessary, so don’t hesitate when you feel it’s an emergency.
REACH OUT TO A NURSING HOME ABUSE HOT LINE
Most states, including Georgia, have an elder abuse hotline that you can call to report abuse, seek out services, and start an investigation.
It can sometimes be difficult to detect elder abuse, and it’s actually one of the most underreported forms of abuse in the country, according to the Division of Aging Services for the State of Georgia. There are, however, many warning signs such as changes in your loved one’s behavior (increase anxiety, withdrawal), comments from your family member alleging abuse, or even the health care professional refusing to allow you to visit with the adult alone.
If your elderly family member is being abused, reach out to your state’s nursing home abuse hotline so they can start the process of removing them from abusive care and start an investigation into the care facility.
Do you have a family member or other loved one who has experienced abuse in a nursing home setting? You’re going to need legal representation who can help you during this difficult and unsettling time to ensure that the negligent party is held responsible. Reach out to the Fry | Goehring today at (404) 948-3571 to set up a consultation.
