What to Do if You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: finding signs of abuse in a loved one at a nursing home. Whether you discover bruises, suspect emotional mistreatment, or your loved one reports the abuse to you, it’s a shocking and often disturbing thing to deal with.

It’s important to stay calm. Confront the administration immediately. Although it’s difficult not to let your emotions show, it’s important to be professional and firm. Allow the facility manager or supervisor to explain the situation or make amends. He or she may not even be aware of the problem. However, if the explanation is unsatisfactory in any way, don’t hesitate to arm yourself with proper allies, like the police or the Adult Protective Services.

If the elder abuse is life-threatening, don’t waste any time: call the police and report it immediately. They will likely investigate and bring in Social Services and Adult Protective Services.

If the abuse is not life-threatening, call Adult Protective Services yourself. This service has numerous resources to help investigate claims of elderly abuse. They’ll help you navigate the next steps in your complaint against the nursing home.

Another option is to call the Eldercare Locator Services at 1-800-677-1116. This toll free number will connect you with resources and referrals in your area. They specialize in dealing with elderly abuse, and will be able to answer questions you have.

Recognizing the signs of nursing home abuse can be traumatic, but with the right tools and references, you can prevent any more abuse from happening.