Nursing Home Abuse - Emotional Abuse

Of the thousands of suspected cases of nursing home abuse that occur each year, many incidents are in the form of emotional abuse. Victims of emotional abuse may show no physical signs of abuse and may be unwilling to report the suffering that they have endured.

In many cases, it is up to the family of the abused elderly individual to report instances of abuse, regardless of how these forms of abuse occur. Detecting emotional abuse may be a difficult task for many people, but there are certain signs that many emotionally abused individuals show.

Usually, emotional abuse victims are:

• Emotionally distant


• Stricken with unexplained health ailments


• Reluctant to speak about their experiences in the home

Since these signs may be difficult to detect, it is important to talk with the individual and learn if he or she has been subjected to:

• Humiliation


• Intimidation


• Isolation

Individuals who have suffered these acts at the hands of their caretakers deserve to be rescued from these conditions. Families can often do this simply by reporting offenses to the nursing home administration or to a legal authority.

In retirement homes, there may be a number of reasons for emotional abuse. In most cases, this form of abuse in any setting is use to assert dominance and coerce individuals into acting a certain way. It is likely that the reasons are not much different in nursing homes.

Regardless of why it occurs, abuse in any form is simply unacceptable, especially in nursing homes. Families of suspected abuse victims are advised to speak with a lawyer about how to handle the situation in the best legal manner as well as to gain information about seeking financial compensation for their loved ones' suffering.