North Myrtle Beach Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

Don't let an elder care facility get away with mistreatment of your loved one.

In South Carolina, every elderly care facility must uphold the rights of its residents as outlined in S.C. Code § 44-81-40. If you suspect your elderly loved one is being abused or neglected at their nursing home, contact a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers to discuss your legal options. The initial consultation is always free. 

North Myrtle Beach Nursing Home Abuse: What Is It?

Nursing home abuse refers to abuse that’s focused on senior citizens who no longer have the physical or mental capacity to defend themselves. It’s a problem throughout the United States and a nursing home abuse and neglect attorney in North Myrtle Beach, SC, is here to help.

There are several different types of nursing home abuse:

Physical Abuse

While physical elder abuse should be the easiest form of nursing home abuse to spot, identifying it as abuse can be difficult. Clothing covers up bruises and bedsores and, since senior citizens are prone to falling, even serious injuries are often explained away. In some cases, physical injury isn’t caused by physical attacks by a nursing home employee but was the result of a nursing home failing to install proper safety equipment.

Financial Abuse

Financial elder abuse is less typical in nursing home situations and more typical when an outside person is helping with household chores and using your loved one’s credit card. They’re supposed to use the card to pay your loved one’s bills but ultimately use it to handle their own expenses as well. 

While financial abuse isn’t as typical in nursing homes, it does happen. In a nursing home situation, the management could be padding their expenses, or an employee could be extorting money from your loved one.

Sexual Abuse

Elderly sexual abuse happens a great deal more than some people would expect. Legally, if anyone over the age of 60 is coerced or tricked into have unwanted sex, they’re a victim of elder sexual abuse. Just because an elderly person doesn’t have the mental or physical ability to tell a person that they’re not interested in sex, their silence can’t be considered consent.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse in nursing home situations is tricky. The issue is that the classic signs of abuse, such as becoming withdrawn, depressed, or insecure, are also triggered by moving someone into a nursing home. 

Additionally, these symptoms are often experienced by individuals with certain degenerative cognitive diseases. The best way to determine if your loved one is a victim of elderly emotional abuse is to spend time with them and observe how they behave when the staff is around.

Elder Abuse Through Neglect

Elder abuse through neglect happens when the staff simply ignores your loved one. Not only do they fail to provide social stimulation, they can also forget to provide medications, fail to notice if your loved one isn’t eating, and don’t address your loved one’s medical or hygienic needs.

North Myrtle Beach Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Near Me(888) 612-7001

How You Can Identify Nursing Home Abuse

When it comes to your loved one, you’re their best advocate. It’s up to you to determine if they’re a victim of nursing home abuse, and the best way to do that is remaining present in their lives.

Stop by for unexpected visits. This is the best way to see if you’re loved one is getting the care they deserve. Even when the staff isn’t expecting you, your loved one should be clean, dressed, and in good health.

Pay attention to your loved one’s personal items. If things start disappearing, it could be a sign that the staff is stealing personal effects.

Remove your loved one from the nursing home. North Myrtle Beach has a ton of things you and your elderly loved one can do together. Activities include:

• Going to the beach
• Taking in an exhibit at the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum
• Fishing at Myrtle Beach State Park Pier, Apache Pier, Surfside Pier, or Cherry Grove Pier
• Spending an afternoon watching the Myrtle Beach Pelicans play baseball
• Going for an afternoon stroll around one of North Myrtle Beach’s many parks

Getting away from the nursing home provides your loved one with a chance to relax and communicate any problems they’re having with you. Since they aren’t at the nursing home, they’ll be less concerned about their abuser overhearing the conversation and retaliating.

Get into the habit of attending doctor’s appointments with your loved one. Going to the doctor’s office with them allows you to speak to the doctor and learn if mental and physical changes are normal or potential signs of abuse.

What to Do When You Suspect a Loved One Is a Victim of North Myrtle Beach Nursing Home Abuse

Alert the nursing home administrator of any suspected nursing home abuse.

Our personal injury attorneys at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers have spent many years fighting for nursing home abuse victims. When you trust a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer serving North Myrtle Beach, SC, with your loved one’s abuse case, you can rest assured that a lawyer will use all of our resources, contacts, and knowledge to legally resolve the matter so your loved one gets the financial compensation they deserve. Call us today or fill out our online form to book a free consultation.