Unlike nursing home abuse, nursing home neglect can be difficult for loved ones to recognize. Whereas abuse is when an individual in a nursing home is taking harmful action against a resident, neglect is merely the absence of adequate care.
Given that nursing home neglect can be easily missed, it is very important for loved ones to recognize the signs early. According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, there are many types of elder neglect, and these can include medical, hygienic, and emotional neglect.
How are the types of neglect different?
Medical neglect may include the nursing home failing to either attend to or prevent medical incidents. Medical neglect is particularly common with diabetic residents due to the amount of monitoring they require, though other signs of it may include bed sores and other infections.
Personal hygiene neglect is one of the easier signs of neglect to spot, as the symptoms of it are more obvious. If a resident of a nursing home appears or smells unwashed or is wearing dirty clothes, it may be a sign of this variety of neglect.
Emotional neglect can be very difficult to recognize. It involves unkind treatment and little to no attention to socialization.
How can I prevent neglect?
The best way to prevent neglect is to do comprehensive research on nursing homes your loved one is considering and take any filed complaints seriously. It is also a good idea to visit the nursing home several times before your loved one moves in. Talk to the current residence and also visually inspect the building.
If the building looks run down, either on the outside or the inside, you may want to consider looking at a different nursing home.
