Elder Abuse in Long Island Residential Long-Term Care

Having an elderly family member in a residential long-term care setting may seem like a good arrangement for them. However, there are concerns that you may have and can be valid enough. Especially when it pertains to the health, safety, and well-being of your senior loved one.

Elder abuse in a Long Island residential long-term care setting does happen. The question is: is your senior loved one a victim of such abuse? It is important that you know the types of elder abuse along with the signs you may need to identify.

This guide will discuss the reasons why such abuse may exist. Furthermore, we’ll cover what you need to do in order to take decisive, immediate action. The health and safety of your elderly loved ones depend on it.

Let’s waste no time and get started on what you need to know from a nursing home abuse attorney.

What are the Types of Elder Abuse in a Residential Long-Term Care Setting?

To begin, we’re going to set the foundation by going over the types of elder abuse that exist in a residential long-term care setting in Long Island. It is important that you know what these are along with the signs that confirm it (which we’ll cover later on). Let’s take a look at the following:

Physical Abuse

Signs of physical abuse can be noticeable such as cuts and bruises. However, it may be hard to prove the origin of those injuries without being able to take certain matters into your own hands. Plus, it may be hard to prove who may have caused the physical injuries at first.

This abuse stems from violence against elderly individuals. In a residential long-term care setting, members of the staff may be the common perpetrators. If you need to take action to address any concerns, even look for proof of abuse, you may need to do so within legal means.

Of course, it never hurts to consult with an attorney that specializes in elder abuse. They will provide you with any information on what actions you need to take if there is any suspected elder abuse – physical or otherwise.

Emotional/Mental Abuse

Such abuse doesn’t always have to exhibit physical signs. To the trained and familiar eye, it may take the most subtle characteristic changes that can raise concerns for emotional and mental abuse. For others, spotting obvious changes in an elderly person’s behavior could be another sign that emotional or mental abuse may be to blame.

It is important for individuals to know the signs of emotional and mental abuse. One of them are any uncharacteristic behaviors that an elderly family member may exhibit. If such concerns arise, it may be a good idea to get a social worker or a therapist involved if necessary.

A professional in mental health that specializes with geriatrics can be your best option. They will work with your elderly loved one and you (the next of kin) in order to figure out what may be the cause of the uncharacteristic behavior and whether it is associated with mental or emotional abuse.

Even after the problem has been solved (identifying the abuser and so on), an elderly individual may still need long-term mental health care from a specialized therapist. You as a member of that individual’s family can accompany them during the sessions, so long as you adhere to confidentiality agreements.

Financial Exploitation

Elderly individuals, including those who may not be in the right frame of mind, may become victims of financial exploitation. Meaning individuals like staff members could steal financial information, cash, credit cards, or related materials.

For example, an elderly individual may be manipulated into withdrawing cash from their bank account. Then the cash is handed over to a member of the staff who is not authorized to handle financial transactions on the former’s behalf. There are different types of financial exploitation that can exist.

Even over the phone scams are a form of financial exploitation. That’s why it is important to implement safeguards for your elderly loved one so they are not victims of any situations involving their personal finances.

This can have plenty of negative consequences including the inability to afford the basic essentials like food, medication, or similar resources.

What are the Factors that Contribute to Elder Abuse?

Now that you’re aware of the types of elder abuse that exist, you want to know what the factors are that contribute to it in Long Island residential care facilities. For one, management issues could play a role. Needless to say, this comprises several issues rolled into a major disaster.

Such issues include but are not limited to:

• Low pay
• Understaffing
• Lack of proper training and equipment

Management issues and understaffing can lead to errors regarding judgment or forgetfulness. It will be tough to keep up with all of the residents in long-term care because of the lack of hands on deck. The best solution is to hire individuals who are qualified to take on their respective tasks and responsibilities.

As such, it is important that elderly individuals are taken care of regularly by a caring and compassionate staff. One thing to be aware of is that they should have the character and demeanor to care for those who are other people’s parents, grandparents, or other family members. This also applies to their willingness to work well with others.

Staffers must behave in a way where they are professional and leave their personal feelings of others at the door. Such issues may cause them to perform their jobs poorly. This can also lead to incidents where a staffer may have negative interactions with individuals, including elderly residents and facility staff.

If you’re someone who is working as a CNA or a staffer in a residential long-term care setting, imagine this: how would you treat your parents, grandparents, or other relatives if they were elderly? If you want them to be cared for in the best way possible, you’d want to do the same for others.