Q: Make Sure You Have Proof Of The Abuse

When you file a lawsuit against a nursing home you’ll have to prove that abuse happened. There are signs of abuse and if you are vigilant, you should spot them. When you do spot them, you need to document them. For physical injuries, you should take photos. For financial abuse, you should have copies of your loved one’s bank records to show to your attorney and to the court. Having proof that abuse has occurred will strengthen your case. This will increase the likelihood that the nursing home will offer you a sizeable settlement. Your goal here shouldn’t be to make a financial gain. Your goal should be to hold the nursing home — where the abuse happened – accountable. A lawsuit where they have to pay out damages will hit them in their bank account. Plus, it will be something that leaves a mark on their reputation in the future. [1] Nursing Home Elder Abuse

Question 1

How Common Is Financial Abuse Of The Elderly In Nursing Homes?

Accepted Answer

Each year over half a million elderly people are the victims of financial abuse [1]. Now, not all of these people are living in nursing homes. However, the fact that so many elderly people become victims of financial abuse should put you on high alert.
Why are so many elderly people targeted? For one thing, over 70% of the wealth in the United States is owned by people 50 and over [1]. For another thing, some elderly people aren&#8217;t as mentally sharp as they once were. This makes it easier to deceive them.
So, when you have a large group of people who have money and may be vulnerable to scams due to declining mental faculties, you are going to have people trying to take advantage of them.

Question 2

Monitoring Your Loved One's Finances Can Help To Prevent Financial Abuse

Accepted Answer

How can you help to prevent financial abuse in the elderly? The first thing you need to do is to pay attention to their finances. Do you see any checks being drawn from their account without good reason?
Monitor their credit as well. Be on the lookout for newly opened credit cards or loans that they may have taken out. Being vigilant can help you to catch financial abuse when it first starts. This can minimize the impact that it has.
Being vigilant and asking questions will also let the staff at the nursing home know that you’re keeping an eye on things. This can help to keep honest people honest.

Question 3

What To Do If You Witness Abuse Of The Elderly In A Nursing Home

Accepted Answer

If you see abuse of the elderly in a nursing home, the first thing that you&#8217;ll probably feel is a shock. Followed by anger, sadness, and empathy for the victim. While it&#8217;s normal to have an emotional response to seeing such a horrific incident, it&#8217;s important that you don&#8217;t allow your emotions to dictate what you do next.
It would be easy to confront the person, but that wouldn&#8217;t do anything to help the victim or stop the abuse. All that would do is make you feel better.

Question 4

Call The Police

Accepted Answer

Elderly people are people with rights just like everyone else. If you see an elderly person suffering abuse and it appears to be a dangerous situation, you should call the police immediately.
The police will come out and at the very least file a report. If they have proof of the abuse they will arrest the abuser. Even if they don&#8217;t arrest the abuser, the fact that they were alerted will bring attention to the situation. This should dissuade the abuser from doing anything else for the time being since he knows the police are involved. You can use this time to try to get him removed or take any other steps you feel are necessary.

Question 5

Record The Abuse

Accepted Answer

If you have the opportunity to do so, you should absolutely record the abuse. Chances are you have a smartphone, which means you have a video camera with you.
Recording an abuser in the act will provide the police with evidence of the person&#8217;s crimes. You can also give it to the administration of the nursing home to encourage his removal. Plus, it can be used as evidence should you feel the need to file a lawsuit.

Question 6

Report The Abuse To Management

Accepted Answer

No matter what, you need to report the abuse you have witnessed to management. This will bring the abuse to their attention. It will also let them know that you are paying attention to what is going on.
Nursing home facilities are very leery when it comes to lawsuits, so if they know that you have seen or suspect abuse, they are going to be much more vigilant in monitoring the situation. If you have a loved one who was the victim of the abuse then you might also consider removing them from the home as quickly as possible

Question 7

Hire A Lawyer If You Suspect Abuse Of The Elderly

Accepted Answer

The first thing you should do when you suspect elder abuse is to report the abuse to the management at the facility. You may also want to contact law enforcement depending on the type and extent of the abuse.
Abusers of elderly people can and should account for their actions as these actions are criminal. Holding an individual accountable will make an example of them that could serve to warn future predators from making the same mistake.
If they are prosecuted and sentenced to prison, it will also keep them from continuing to abuse any other elderly people. It will also make it virtually impossible for them to find a job in the future caring for anyone since their conviction will be a matter of public record.
While you should prosecute someone for abusing an elderly loved one of yours, you shouldn&#8217;t stop there. The nursing home that employed this person is responsible for their actions as well. Nursing homes are negligent if they fail to identify signs of abuse. It&#8217;s their responsibility to protect and care for their residents, and if they fail to do that they should be forced to pay damages.

Question 8

Make Sure You Have Proof Of The Abuse

Accepted Answer

When you file a lawsuit against a nursing home you&#8217;ll have to prove that abuse happened. There are signs of abuse and if you are vigilant, you should spot them. When you do spot them, you need to document them.
For physical injuries, you should take photos. For financial abuse, you should have copies of your loved one&#8217;s bank records to show to your attorney and to the court. Having proof that abuse has occurred will strengthen your case. This will increase the likelihood that the nursing home will offer you a sizeable settlement.
Your goal here shouldn&#8217;t be to make a financial gain. Your goal should be to hold the nursing home &#8212; where the abuse happened &#8211; accountable. A lawsuit where they have to pay out damages will hit them in their bank account. Plus, it will be something that leaves a mark on their reputation in the future.
[1] Nursing Home Elder Abuse

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