Cullan & Cullan M.D., J.D. | Arizona Legal Blog

Elder neglect is a terrible form of nursing home abuse that can be stopped if it is detected. Unfortunately there are nursing homes that neglect their patients when their families are not present, only to appear caring a helpful when patient's visitors are there.

Nursing home neglect accounts for about half of all cases of nursing home abuse; the effects of nursing home neglect can be terrible. To make sure your loved one is not suffering from neglect, you need to take note of the signs of neglect they may be exhibiting:

• Weight Loss – Nursing home staff could be abusive and purposefully keeping food out of reach of patients
• Depression – Long periods of neglect and isolation can take a toll on elderly residents, making them severely depressed
• Poor Hygiene – When nursing home staff neglects the basic needs of residents, they may be unable to wash or use the bathroom correctly
• Untreated Bed Sores – these are evidence that the nursing home resident has not been repositioned in their bed

While neglect may be active and intentional, passive neglect can be just as dangerous and injurious. Nursing home staff could be passively neglecting your loved one by ignoring their cries for help because they don’t think help is actually needed.

No matter what the case may be, if you believe an elder family member is being neglected at their nursing home, please contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys who are also doctors at Cullan & Cullan M.D., J.D. today to schedule an initial consultation at 602.200.9999.

It is disturbing that instances of rape and other forms of sexual abuse occur in nursing homes. When you place your loved one under the care of a nursing home, you expect staff members to be nurturing care providers, not sexual predators, and you expect them to take the proper precautions to protect your loved one from other residents who may have the potential to commit such atrocious acts.

Unfortunately, elderly or cognitively impaired nursing home residents make easy targets for sexual predators. If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home rape, it is important to hold the nursing home accountable for their negligent actions.

Even though nursing homes are mandated by law to conduct criminal background checks on potential employees, this screening often gets overlooked during the hiring process. As a result, vulnerable residents may be at the mercy of a sexual predator who slipped through the cracks of this screening process.

However, not all nursing home rapes are committed by staff members. Often, residents who are mentally ill or have an established history of violence perform these horrendous acts due to negligent supervision, the nursing home’s failure to separate potential predators from other residents, or understaffing issues.

Unfortunately, many victims of nursing home abuse are either unable to communicate the abuse to other staff members and their loved ones, or they choose to stay quiet out of fear. Therefore, if you suspect your loved one has been the victim of a sexual assault, it is important to bring your suspicions to the attention of the nursing home management. If they do not take appropriate action to investigate your suspicions, then you should talk with an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer immediately to make sure your loved one’s safety has not been violated.

If you believe your loved one may be the victim of nursing home rape or any other kind of sexual assault, the Phoenix nursing home abuse lawyers at Cullan & Cullan, M.D., J.D. can help protect your rights and hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions. Our lawyers are also doctors, and our medical expertise enables us to provide you with superior legal representation compared with other lawyers lacking this background.

Please contact our Phoenix, Arizona nursing home abuse lawyers today to schedule your free initial consultation.