Topeka Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

When our loved ones get older or perhaps have a disability that requires specialized care, we often select a nursing home or other long-term care facility that we believe will be best suited to our loved one’s needs. We assume and expect our loved ones to be well taken care of, treated with respect, and live comfortably. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in nursing homes.

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), 1 in 10 people aged 60 and older experience abuse of some kind in the United States. Depending on the exact nature of the abuse, victims will experience negative effects often for the rest of their lives.

If you or someone you know has suffered abuse or neglect in their long-term care facility, a skilled Topeka nursing home abuse lawyer in our office is ready to step in and help you protect your loved one and bring their abusers to justice.

Common Signs and Symptoms

Nursing home abuse affects many elderly residents in facilities across the United States, usually in one of the following categories:

• Physical: Any physical act that causes harm to the victim
• Emotional: Any verbal threat or tone that causes emotional or psychological harm to the victim
• Sexual: All unwanted sexual contact, even just speaking or touching inappropriately
• Financial: Unauthorized use or theft of the victim’s bank or credit accounts

These different categories of abuse often present themselves in victims in the following ways:

• Sudden changes in behavior
• Sudden, unexplained injuries, such as bruises or cuts
• Withdrawal from activities the victim used to enjoy
• Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases or infections
• Unexplained emotional distress
• Poor hygiene
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Sudden onset of bed sores
• Personal items missing
• Checks missing from the victim’s checkbook
• Unexplained charges on the victim’s credit card or bank card

While these are some of the most common signs of elder abuse, it’s important to note that each victim and each case is different. If there is anything abnormal about your loved one’s behavior and you believe abuse or neglect is the cause, don’t hesitate to reach out to our office as soon as possible.

How To Know if Your Loved One Is Being Abused

Identifying abuse or neglect in a nursing home can be challenging, often because those causing the abuse are able to hide their actions or threaten their victims in various horrible ways. Also, those most commonly victimized by abuse are elderly or mentally handicapped individuals who may not be able to speak up for themselves or who may not even remember the abuse occurring.

Some good ways to know if abuse is prevalent in your loved one’s nursing home are:

• Be aware of the signs and symptoms, such as those mentioned above, but also any other sudden differences in your loved one’s behavior or physical
• Have regular visits with your loved one, or have another family member or trusted friend do so to ensure you stay aware of your loved one’s physical and mental state and their living conditions
• Have open and constant communication, not only with your loved one but also with their caregivers and other staff members at the facility

Although abuse may look different for each individual, and often it can be hard to see, it’s important to try and be as active in your loved one’s life as possible or appoint someone you trust to do so. Abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities is an unfortunate reality, and only by speaking up and holding accountable those responsible can we expect to see a change.

What You Can Do About Elder Abuse

While you may think that reporting suspected abuse to the facility management is a good idea, often management is aware or even involved in the abuse, and, in our firm’s experience, they may destroy any evidence of the abuse before a case can be made. Our office recommends you do not speak with the management or staff at your loved one’s facility before first contacting a Topeka nursing home abuse lawyer and/or local law enforcement.

If you believe your loved one is in immediate, life-threatening danger, contact your local law enforcement and have your loved one removed from their facility as soon as possible to prevent the abuse from continuing.

You can also call the appropriate state hotline provided by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

It’s pertinent to the health and safety of your loved one that you contact an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorney who can help you gather the necessary evidence to pursue legal action on your loved one’s behalf. Taking advantage of and harming our community’s most vulnerable population is unacceptable, and our attorneys are ready to help you fight for justice, not only for your loved one but for all others similarly harmed.

Taking Legal Action

If you know abuse is occurring within your loved one’s nursing home or long-term care facility, or even if you just suspect it, the best thing you can do after removing your loved one from their dangerous situation is to contact an attorney who has experience with cases like yours. Contact our Topeka office to speak with a member of our legal team in a free, confidential consultation.

Our lawyers at Prochaska, Howell & Prochaska LLC have the knowledge and understanding to handle your situation with compassion to the fullest extent allowed by the law. By taking these steps to protect your loved one, you’re likely also helping to protect the rights and lives of others who may be suffering from abuse within the same facility. Don’t wait; reach out to a Topeka nursing home abuse lawyer today!