When you visit your loved one in a nursing home, you should check for common indications of nursing home neglect. These signs include:

• Unsanitary conditions
• Infections
• Bedsores
• Dehydration
• Undernourishment
• Incorrectly administered medications

The most effective way to guard against nursing home neglect is to visit your loved one frequently. In this way, you can easily spot signs of neglect and take action before your loved one suffers serious or even fatal injuries.

When neglect has taken place, often the emotional damage is as injurious as the physical. Many people who have suffered abuse in nursing homes will face a lifetime of crippling emotional damages, including depression, anxiety, and even the adoption of strange and compulsive behavior. Physical injuries may heal quickly, but your loved one will likely suffer for years from this type of neglect.

Staff at nursing homes, the companies that own them, and the insurance companies that represent them may offer you a minor settlement when you notice neglect. These settlements may cover the cost of moving your loved one, but never take into account the emotional suffering they have endured.