If your loved one lives in a nursing home, you may be wary of the possibility of abuse or neglect. You make sure to check him or her for signs of abuse, including unexplained bruises or pain, and you’re always on guard for signs of neglect like weight loss or sudden deterioration in health.

While it’s essential to be an active participant and watchdog for your loved one’s care in a nursing home, it’s important to remember that abuse and neglect can be subtle and difficult to notice if you don’t know what to look for.

Forms of abuse and neglect that can be difficult for even trained eyes to detect include:

• Psychological abuse—Threats, intimidation, and insults are common forms of verbal and psychological abuse, but patients’ families may be unaware that their loved ones are experiencing them unless the residents themselves speak up. Be sure to speak with your loved one privately about his or her care and treatment from staff members, and be on the lookout for signs of depression and anxiety—especially when caregivers are around.
• Isolation—Living in a nursing home can be lonely, even for residents who receive regular visits. Scheduled activities and opportunities for socialization can help residents feel more relaxed and like they’re part of a community, but some residents are denied basic human interaction. If possible, schedule visits during activities to make sure your loved one is allowed to participate.

At Stewart & Stewart, we know how difficult it can be to detect all forms of abuse and neglect in nursing home residents.

If you suspect that your loved one isn’t being treated the way he or she deserves, get in touch with our Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers for a free consultation. We’ll fight to help you and your loved one get the compensation you deserve.

When you first help your loved one move into a nursing home, you may be cautious and anxious about how the staff will treat him or her and whether he or she will receive proper attention and medical care. But as months or even years pass without incident, you may begin to feel more comfortable about the facility and more trusting of the staff members and administrators.

However, it’s important to remember that it only takes one negligent caregiver or healthcare professional to create an abusive or neglectful environment for a nursing home resident.

Regardless of how long your loved one has lived in a nursing home without incident, you should always be on the lookout for signs of abuse or neglect, such as:

• Unexplained bruises or pain—Physical abuse doesn’t always mean obvious violence. It can also take other subtler forms, including using excessive pressure while bathing residents or being unnecessarily rough while moving them around the facility.
• Sudden weight loss or decline in health—Nursing home residents are supposed to receive adequate nutrition and medical care. If your loved one begins losing weight or experiencing health problems for seemingly no reason, it may be due to neglect.

At Stewart & Stewart, our Indiana nursing home abuse attorneys know the signs of abuse and neglect, and it’s our goal to stand up for the rights of mistreated residents and their families. Call us today for a free consultation to find out if we can help.

More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of nursing home abuse, which has led to a greater number of families on the lookout for signs of abuse in their loved ones after they move into nursing facilities.

They may check their loved ones for unexplained cuts and bruises or potential indicators of sexual abuse. However, it’s important to remember that the absence of signs of physical abuse doesn’t mean that patients aren’t being abused mentally. In some cases, residents aren’t specifically targeted, but are instead ignored or neglected by staff members.

That also constitutes a form of abuse, and it can put their lives in danger, as they may become malnourished, dehydrated, and unable to get the medications and medical care they need to survive.

At Stewart & Stewart, our Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers have helped families after they’ve discovered that their loved ones were being neglected. If you spot any of the following signs in your loved one or at his or her nursing facility, get in touch with us right away:

• Unsanitary living conditions – Nursing home residents should be allowed to bathe or be bathed frequently, and their clothing and bedding should be refreshed on a regular basis. When those tasks aren’t allowed or aren’t completed on a regular schedule, it can indicate neglect.
• Worsening health with no clear explanations – Residents who are being neglected may experience poor health, leaving their families concerned—especially if their health problems aren’t urgent or critical. Infrequent access to food, water, and medication can cause rapid and noticeable deterioration in strength and overall health.

Residents who are neglected deserve experienced legal representation, and we’re here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll do everything we can to get your loved one and your family the compensation you deserve for what you’ve been through.

Making the decision to move your loved one into a nursing home is difficult. He or she may have trouble dealing with reduced or lost independence, while you may feel guilt—even if the move is for the sake of their health and well-being.

Because many people struggle with this decision, they may not want to accept that their loved ones could be subject to abuse or neglect while living in nursing facilities. In addition, they also may only see their loved ones at specified times each day or week—often when staff members know they’re going to visit. Due to a combination of those factors, some myths and misconceptions about nursing home abuse and neglect are common.

At Stewart & Stewart, our Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers are here to answer any questions or address any concerns you have about the mistreatment of nursing facility residents, including the following prevalent myths:

• Nursing home abuse or neglect are obvious – While visible bruises, foul odors, or obvious malnourishment can all be signs of abuse or neglect, they’re not always present—and their absence doesn’t mean your loved one is being treated with the respect he or she deserves.
• Nursing home residents speak out when they’re being mistreated – People who abuse residents in nursing homes often threaten or intimidate them into silence—even when they’re around their loved ones. That’s why it’s important to always be on the lookout for signs of abuse or neglect.

If you believe your loved one’s rights were violated in his or her nursing home, it’s vital that you contact our Indiana lawyers right away for a free consultation. We’re here to help.

When nursing home residents are abused or neglected by healthcare providers and staff members, it’s a serious moral, ethical, professional, and legal violation. At Stewart & Stewart, our Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers have no tolerance for nursing home employees and administrators who don’t place the safety, well-being, and health of their residents above all else.

Unfortunately, too many nursing homes in Indiana and throughout the country are more focused on their bottom lines—and that means understaffing or hiring underqualified employees to take care of residents. When staff members are overworked or inexperienced, resident care suffers, and abuse and neglect is more likely to occur.

Nursing home residents and their families often feel helpless when abuse or neglect occurs, but it’s important to remember that all residents have rights, and when those rights are violated, they’re also entitled to recourse, including filing claims for compensation.

Victims and their families can receive compensation for everything from medical bills, physical pain, emotional distress and anguish, disability, reduced quality of life, and even punitive damages. In addition, an experienced legal team can also advise you while you navigate the process of potentially moving your loved one to a new facility that’s free from abusive or neglectful staff members and healthcare professionals.

If your loved one’s rights were violated at his or her nursing home, get the help your family deserves today. Call or contact us online for a free consultation.

Nursing homes are designed and staffed to take care of people who aren’t always capable of caring for themselves. Because of the aging population in the U.S., nursing homes are more in demand than ever, and costs have risen accordingly. Some families may even have difficulty finding rooms for their loved ones in nearby facilities due to many nursing homes being at capacity.

When families finally find a facility for a family member, they expect him or her to receive excellent care and attention. But that doesn’t always happen. Whether it’s due to poor staff training or staff shortages, some residents are neglected or even actively abused by medical professionals and caregivers at nursing homes.

At Stewart & Stewart, we know how devastating it is when families find out their loved ones were harmed by those who were supposed to care for them. It’s a significant betrayal of trust, ethics, and morals, and the worst part is that it may continue to happen—even if you move your loved one to another facility.

An Indiana nursing home abuse attorney is ready to fight for families like yours, as shining a light on the mistreatment of one patient can help many. Don’t delay if you suspect your loved one is being mistreated at his or her nursing facility. Call us today for a free consultation to find out how we can put our years of experience to work for you.

Finding out that your loved one was abused or neglected while living in a nursing home is devastating. In addition to being concerned about your loved one’s well-being and mental health, you may feel angry and betrayed by the nursing home staff who promised to look after them.

At Stewart & Stewart, we know that many families seek compensation after learning that their loved ones were harmed at nursing facilities, and an Indiana nursing home abuse lawyer is here to help with that process.

We also know that families often struggle with the aftermath on an emotional level. Children, spouses, and siblings may feel guilty for the abuse or neglect their loved ones suffered, while the residents themselves may need to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally from the ordeals they experienced.

Although dealing with the aftermath of nursing home abuse is never easy, you can begin to find peace of mind by following these steps:

• Transferring your loved one to a different facility – It’s important to move your loved one to a new facility as soon as possible if they suffered abuse or neglect at a nursing home.
• Recognizing it isn’t your fault or your loved one’s fault – Remember that the blame lies solely on the nursing home staff members who were supposed to provide care—not you, your family members, or your loved one.

Our legal team has helped many families during this difficult process, and we know how traumatic it can be for everyone involved. It’s our goal to help you and your loved one move forward after nursing home abuse, so contact us for a free consultation 

Whether you’re finding a nursing home for your loved one for the first time or transferring them from a facility that failed to meet expectations, you want to make sure your loved one receives the best care possible. Nursing homes with caring and attentive staff and medical professionals can make a huge difference in your loved one’s daily life.

At Stewart & Stewart, an Indiana nursing home abuse lawyer knows that it can be difficult to determine which nursing home is the right place for a loved one. Many may look clean, organized, and well-staffed, but things can quickly change at night or after residents’ families leave. How can you tell if a nursing home is the right place for your loved one? We recommend looking for these signs:

• An active, engaged, and happy resident population – Afternoons can be a telling time for nursing home facilities. When residents are left to themselves in their rooms, there’s a chance the facility is understaffed or doesn’t have any activities planned to keep residents occupied. Look for nursing homes where residents receive care and attention throughout the day.
• An energetic and cooperative staff – If you’re touring a potential residence for your loved one, watch the staff carefully. Do they seem energetic and appear to enjoy their jobs? Are they communicating and cooperating with each other and the residents? High turnover rates and job dissatisfaction are major warning signs for nursing home abuse and neglect.

After you’ve chosen a nursing home, be sure to check in frequently to make sure your loved one is still receiving the care and attention that was promised when they moved in. And if you find out that the nursing home facility has failed to meet expectations, you may be eligible to file a claim. Call today for a free consultation, and let us evaluate your case.

Whether due to age or other conditions, nursing home residents often have physical or mental disabilities that make it difficult or impossible for them to take care of themselves and live independently.

Residents and their loved ones trust the staff members at their nursing home facilities to provide them with excellent care, but that doesn’t always happen. In fact, sometimes nursing homes can be abusive and neglectful environments, which puts residents at risk of developing serious or even fatal injuries and illnesses.

The Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers Stewart & Stewart are dedicated to protecting and upholding the rights of all nursing home residents throughout the state. It’s our goal to help abused or neglected residents and their families get maximum compensation when their rights are violated. The state’s Nursing Home Resident’s Bill of Rights includes rights such as:

• The right to be informed of policies and procedures
• The right to choose physicians and pharmacies
• The right to know about their own medical conditions and treatments
• The right to participate in the planning of their own medical care
• The right to be free from restraints unless there’s threat of injury

Those are just a few of the rights that all nursing home residents are guaranteed in Indiana. If you suspect your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, contact us today. We’re here to help, and our consultations are free.

Nursing home abuse is tragic and heartbreaking, and it happens more often than we realize. Whether it’s caused by understaffed facilities or negligent care providers, residents who are neglected or abused often suffer serious health effects that can put their lives at risk.

Finding out that your loved one received subpar care or was neglected by their healthcare providers is devastating, and you want answers. At Stewart & Stewart, we fight for the rights of both abused and neglected residents and their loved ones, and it’s our goal to help them get both closure and compensation for violations of their health and trust.

Our Indiana nursing home abuse lawyers know what it takes to build a strong case, and we know how to:

• Prove your loved one’s rights were violated. All Indiana nursing home residents are protected by the state’s Nursing Home Resident’s Bill of Rights. It includes things like the right to be informed, the rights to privacy, dignity, and respect, and the right to voice grievances. If any of those rights were violated, the nursing home can be held liable for injuries or illnesses that occur.
• Stand up to the nursing home and the insurance company. Many nursing homes are owned by large corporations that oversee dozens, if not hundreds of similar facilities throughout the country. They’re well-protected from abuse claims, and that can leave many families feeling like they have no recourse. But our legal team knows how the corporations work, and we know how to collect evidence that proves your loved one was abused or neglected.

Get the one-on-one attention and dedication that your nursing home abuse claim requires. Get Stewart. Call today for a free consultation.