What Are Neglect and Abuse?

One of your biggest concerns when choosing a nursing home for an elderly loved one is preventing neglect and abuse. But what are neglect and abuse, and who is at risk? Understanding the answer to these questions as well as the basics of neglect and abuse can help you protect your loved ones from these issues. Check out the other pages in this section to learn more.

Neglect and Abuse

Did you know that there are national standards for each nursing home to prevent abuse? Familiarize yourself with these standards so that you can clearly identify if a nursing home violates them. If this is the case, you should get your loved one help as soon as possible. In addition to national standards, here are some facts about abuse in nursing homes throughout the state of Connecticut.

As you deal with preventing neglect and abuse, you might wonder why the elderly are at risk for these issues. There are a lot of factors that might make your elderly loved one vulnerable to abuse. For example, the elderly are oftentimes taken advantage of because there is no one to protect them. They might not have family who can help stop various types of abuse. You can avoid this situation by checking in with your loved one frequently and offering them protection. Also consider that the elderly can be victims of abuse because it is hard for them to defend themselves, abusers might think that no one will believe the victims, or that the victims have no one to confide in.

In particular, elderly women are at risk for neglect and abuse in nursing homes and similar facilities. Once again, this is oftentimes the case because elderly women cannot defend themselves against attacks.

Veterans are also at risk for abuse in veteran community living centers. Veterans oftentimes face complications such as PTSD which can also be triggered by abuse or emotional distress.

If you think that your loved one is at risk for abuse, make sure to check in with them frequently and visit the nursing home when you can. Oftentimes, an abuser will leave a resident alone if they believe that there is someone checking in with them. They might leave that resident alone to avoid the risk of getting caught.

Finally, consider that if you are worried about neglect and abuse in a home, you need to understand what it is. Some actions might not qualify as neglect or abuse, even if you or your loved one do not like them. Learn more about what neglect and abuse of the elderly look like here. We have more definitions of different types of neglect and abuse in others sections of our website.

Understanding neglect and abuse is the first way to prevent it or stop it if it has already started. Make sure to check in with your loved one frequently and that they know what neglect and abuse are. Make it clear that they can come to you with any issues. This way, you can provide help as soon as possible. For more information on preventing neglect and abuse, or putting a stop to it, contact our office.