Personal Injury Attorney Kenneth S. Nugent, P.C. is Providing Legal Services in Savannah, GA

Kenneth S. Nugent, P.C. Attorneys at Law is providing legal services to elders in Savannah, Georgia that have suffered from abuse in nursing homes.

Elder abuse is an unfortunately common occurrence all around the world. According to the National Council on Aging, around 1 in 10 Americans aged above 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse. According to some estimates, as many as five million elders are abused each year while only one in 24 cases is reported to the authorities. In most cases, the perpetrator is a family member with two-thirds of them being adult children or spouses. Elder citizens who are living in professionally managed nursing homes also report instances of elder abuse.

Elder abuse can take many forms. Physical abuse occurs when someone inflicts physical pain or injury on an elder. In a nursing home, this can include rough treatment from an orderly charged with the care of the older adult. Sexual abuse can take the form of touching, fondling, intercourse, or any form of sexual activity when the older adult is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, is threatened, or is physically forced against their will. Emotional abuse consists of verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, or intimidation. Elders can also be confined by having their contact with the outside world cut off by restraining or isolating them for reasons other than medical.

Elders can be subject to passive neglect if a caregiver fails to provide an older adult with life’s necessities, including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. Willful deprivation consists of denying an older adult medication, medical care, shelter, food, a therapeutic device, or other physical assistance, and exposing that person to the risk of physical, mental, or emotional harm. This does not include the cases when the older, competent adult has expressed a desire to go without such care. Improper care can also lead to injuries such as slips and falls, bedsores, staph infections, dirty linens and clothing, and poor hygiene. Finally, elders can also be financially exploited by misusing or withholding their resources.

There are some telltale signs that can be used to determine if an elder is being subjected to physical, emotional, or financial abuse. If an elder seems to be dehydrated or has lost an unusually high amount of weight in a short time, if they are missing their essential daily meds, if there are unexplained injuries, bruises, cuts, or sores, if they are living in unsanitary living conditions and have poor hygiene, or if they have unattended medical needs, they are most likely being mistreated by the nursing home’s medical or maintenance staff. The signs of emotional abuse include increased fear or anxiety, withdrawal from friends or family, unusual changes in behavior or sleep, and avoiding exercise, personal care, or other leisure activities. The signs of detecting financial abuse include fraudulent signatures on financial documents, unpaid bills, and unusual or sudden changes in spending patterns, will, or other financial documents.

A spokesperson for the law firm talks about the firm’s fight against nursing home abuse by saying, “During the golden years of one’s life, one is supposed to be free from all responsibilities and ready to reap the benefits of their life’s work. When elders sign up to nursing homes or assisted living facilities, they do so by putting their hard-earned money and trust in an organization with an expectation that they will receive the support and care they need when they will be the most vulnerable. When folks get mistreated at nursing homes, the shock can send elders into a depression, robbing them of their enthusiasm for life and hastening their demise. The law office of Kenneth S. Nugent, P.C. is ready to fight on your behalf and let you reclaim your health and dignity. Give us a call today to find out why Kenneth S. Nugent is the best personal injury attorney Savannah has to offer.”

The law office of Kenneth S. Nugent, P.C. can be contacted at the phone number 1-888-579-1790.