The mistreatment your elderly loved one suffers may not leave visible scars. But verbal abuse can be equally harmful. This type of abuse can leave residents with long-lasting emotional and psychological damage.
As older adults are often vulnerable upon entering a facility, their feelings of sadness, anxiety and uncertainty can get exacerbated if they endure emotional abuse. Even for residents with memory problems like dementia, any emotional disturbance can be painful, leaving them feeling more confused and upset.
Verbal abuse can take many forms
These are just a few examples:
- Name-calling: Even if they claim it’s just playful teasing, name-calling of any kind can escalate to emotional abuse. For example, a staff member calls a resident different names to belittle or humiliate them.
- Degradation: There’s no reason why staff should put their residents down. A caretaker might degrade a resident by calling them useless or making them feel like a burden for needing assistance, even though it’s their job to help them with everyday tasks.
- Threats: People who receive threats may not tell others because they fear retaliation. Sadly, many residents are no stranger to this. While not all threats lead to physical harm, they can still result in pain and suffering for a resident. For example, a nursing home staff member may threaten to stop feeding residents or withdraw other types of care.
Your loved ones deserve quality care
Nursing homes in Florida have a duty of care to provide residents with a safe and healthy environment. But when those obligations get violated, nursing home residents and their loved ones can take action. If your loved one is dealing with emotional injuries due to verbal abuse, you can help get them the justice they deserve with a trusted legal partner.
