What Are the Consequences of Elder Abuse?

If you or someone you love was affected by elder abuse, it becomes important to talk with an elder abuse attorney. The consequences of elder abuse are grave, both for seniors and for family members of seniors who were victimized by a caregiver or in a nursing home. It is imperative to do everything possible to avoid elder abuse due to the serious potential problems which can arise when a senior is physically or emotionally harmed. Unfortunately, even with proper research- and even in the best of nursing home environments- abuse still happens. 

California elder abuse attorneys at Brown & Charbonneau, LLP can provide assistance in trying to prevent nursing home abuse by exploring nursing home ratings and carefully reviewing nursing home admission contracts. We also represent victims of abuse and their families. If abuse has happened, the staff member and nursing home need to be held accountable. An Irvine elder abuse attorney can help make that happen.

When you are ready to take action to recover compensation for the consequences of nursing home abuse, give an Irvine elder abuse attorney a call as soon as possible. We handle cases of intentional abuse, including physical, emotional, and financial abuse. We also provide representation in the event of neglect, when a senior is harmed by a failure of a nursing home and staff to provide an acceptable level of care.

Consequences of Nursing Home Abuse for Seniors

The National Center on Elder Abuse summarizes the many consequences of abuse which seniors experience when they are victimized by nursing homes and caregivers. The impact of abuse is divided into different categories, including:

• Physical consequences: Injuries, welts, and wounds are common. Seniors may experience disturbed sleep, dehydration and malnutrition, persistent physical pain, and increased susceptibility to new illnesses. Even modest abuse can result in a senior having a 300 percent increased risk of death as compared with a senior who had not been subject to any type of abuse at all.
• Psychological consequences: Depression, and psychological distress can result from all types of abuse, including physical and emotional abuse as well as neglect.
• Financial consequences: Financial abuse costs older Americans an estimated $2.6 billion annually. Nursing homes which facilitate abuse through negligence should compensate victims of abuse and their families.
• Social consequences: Seniors who are victimized by abuse can become isolated due to withdrawing from activities they enjoyed.
• Increased need for medical care: Seniors who are victims of elder abuse are three times as likely as other seniors to be admitted to a hospital emergency room. Elder abuse can also increase the risk of later disability among seniors. The direct cost of treating injuries caused by elder abuse totals as much as $5.3 billion.

These are just a few of the many different consequences which can happen when a senior is treated in an abusive manner or is neglected by a nursing home which is supposed to be providing care.

Consequences of Nursing Home Abuse for Families

Seniors are not the only ones who can be affected by the consequences of elder abuse. Often, family members find themselves faced with difficult decisions about how to respond when abuse has occurred.

Moving a senior out of an abusive situation can seem like the obvious solution, but this can cause further upheaval and can be especially difficult for seniors with dementia and memory issues. Reporting and responding to the abuse so the staff member is investigated can sometimes help to protect a victim without the victim needing to be relocated, but there remain open questions about the culture of the nursing home environment which allowed the abuse to occur.

Family members can also experience guilt if they chose a nursing home for a relative who was abused, or if they signed admissions paperwork without fully understanding the clauses included in the admission contract.

There are arbitration clauses which are sometimes included in nursing home admissions paperwork which can prevent victims of abuse and their families from pursuing court action. Many families are surprised to discover that these clauses exist only when they wish to pursue a civil claim for compensation. An elder abuse lawyer should review all nursing home paperwork to ensure that there are no surprise clauses which deprive a senior of his rights.

Getting Help from an Irvine Elder Abuse Attorney

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP is committed to helping victims of nursing home abuse. No senior should be neglected or mistreated and our legal team will work very hard to help make sure nursing homes pay when a resident is harmed.

Give us a call today to speak with our California elder abuse lawyers at 866-237-8129 or contact us online to find out more about the different ways we can help nursing home abuse victims and their family members to take action.