Legal•Info

Physical Abuse And Sexual Abuse

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Introduction
There are many forms of abuse that can occur at the hands of a caretaker or staff member at a nursing home or assisted living facility. It's difficult to place your loved one in someone else's care, but it can become positively heartbreaking if you suspect that abuse is taking place instead of, or in addition to, that care. If your loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, or has a private, in-home caretaker, and you suspect that there is physical or sexual abuse or any other kind of abuse taking place, you should contact authorities immediately, and retain the services of a qualified and compassionate elder care or nursing home attorney.

Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is perhaps the most well-known type of abuse, and it gains a lot of public attention because of the number of different cases, often high-profile, that get reported to the authorities every year. Tragically, however, many more cases go unreported, especially among the elderly population. Physical abuse is the act of physically hurting or injuring another person. This includes but is not limited to slapping, pushing, and hitting, all of which can result in injury and emotional damages.

Sexual Abuse
Generally, sexual abuse involves one person forcing another person to engage in sexual activities. It is important to note that even something like verbally suggestive comments qualifies as sexual abuse. Sexual abuse crimes can range from sexual groping, assault or battery, to attempted and actual rape. Sexual abuse can be hard to prove, since it is often a case of someone's word against another. Additionally, the physical proof is often hard to come by. However, the science of proving sexual abuse is getting more advanced, putting abusers behind bars in larger numbers than ever before.

Especially for older people, who may suffer from cognitive loss associated with dementia, sexual abuse and physical abuse can be difficult to acknowledge or report. They may have feelings of guilt or shame associated with the abuse, instead of feeling that their rights have been violated. Furthermore, they may feel reluctant to report nursing home staff, for fear of recriminations. It's important, therefore, to carefully monitor your elderly loved ones who reside in nursing homes or assisted care facilities. Besides the overt physical signs of abuses, things to look out for include a change in mood or behavior, such as the individual becoming more withdrawn, moody, or belligerent. Any abrupt change of this nature may signal that abuse of some kind is taking place, and at least warrants further investigation.

Legalities
It can be extremely difficult to entrust the care of someone you love to strangers. If you or someone you love has been abused in a nursing home or assisted living facility, it may be in your best interest to contact a qualified nursing home and elder abuse attorney who can advise you of your rights and the course of action by which to pursue compensation. Nobody deserves to live in the shadow of abuse.