Nursing home abuse and neglect can take place right under your nose. Many types of abuse and neglect are invisible; Unless a resident tells you about the abuse, it may be hard to know it’s taking place.
As someone who wants to make sure your loved one is safe and cared for, knowing the signs of abuse is important. Here are three kinds of invisible abuse to look for.
1. Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is among the worst kinds of invisible abuse. There are no physical injuries, but your loved one’s mental state may suffer. Whether it’s being verbally abused with name-calling or told they aren’t valuable and that no one loves them, it’s a difficult type of abuse to deal with. How can you recognize it? Look for signs of depression or changes in normal behaviors.
2. Financial abuse
Unless you’re in charge of your loved one’s financial accounts, financial abuse is another difficult kind of abuse to recognize. You may recognize financial abuse is occurring if you find that your loved one is not paying bills on time or if their accounts keep running low at a nursing home despite having funds deposited regularly.
3. Psychological abuse
Psychological abuse is not necessarily the same as emotional abuse. Psychological abuse can include harassment, bullying and behaviors intending to harm your loved one’s mental state. While emotional abuse can include psychological abuse, it’s not necessarily the same. Recognize it by looking for changes in behavior or negative reactions to certain staff members.
These are three types of invisible abuse that you have to look for. If you notice them, it is time to seek help.