It’s never an easy decision to place your loved one in a nursing home, but it can often be the best choice to ensure he or she is getting the right care in later life.

Unfortunately, nursing home neglect happens too often. So, even after you find the right place for your loved one to stay, keep an eye out for any potential signs that he or she is suffering from nursing home neglect.

Here are four signs to watch out for.

1. Signs Of Malnutrition

Finding out your loved one is sadly the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse is never easy to deal with.

But once you know it’s happening, you can take steps to move your loved one and also gain compensation from the individual or organization that’s responsible for the neglect or abuse.

When you go with a specialist law firm, like Nursinghomelawyerpa.com in Pennsylvania, a qualified attorney can help you claim financial compensation on behalf of your loved one.

But first things first. You need to know what kinds of signs to look for to discern whether your loved one is suffering from nursing home neglect.

One sign to keep an eye on is malnutrition. If your loved one’s losing weight between your visits, it’s a concern you should examine more closely.

Try to access a feeding schedule or report to check what your loved one has been eating and how often.

And if members of staff are not able to satisfactorily explain that the weight loss is due to a refusal to eat or a current medication, it could be a sign of neglect. Therefore, it’s time to get in touch with a lawyer.

2. Unexplained Injuries

If your loved one has unexplained injuries, it could be a sign of neglect or even abuse.

It can be common for nursing home residents to experience things like bruises. But if your loved one often gets injuries and the nursing home staff cannot account for those injuries, neglect or abuse could potentially be to blame.

You should be concerned if your loved one has injuries like cuts, scars, and broken bones. You should also look out for signs like withdrawal from others, being afraid of a certain member of staff, and anxiety or depression.

3. Sudden Changes In Behavior

When your loved one suddenly shows changes in behavior, without any explanation from the care home staff, such as your loved one being on a new medication, it could be a telltale sign of nursing home neglect.

Changes in behavior could include suddenly being afraid of loud noises and sudden moments.

If you suspect your loved one’s changes in behavior are caused by neglect, ask whether he or she is comfortable and happy at the nursing home, and make sure you make it clear that your loved one can tell you anything.

When you then find out that neglect is to blame for the changes in behavior, you can take the appropriate steps to solve the problem.

4. Unsanitary Conditions

Your loved one should never be living in unsanitary conditions at a nursing home. 

If you find the level of cleanliness is never as you would expect when you visit your loved one and you find yourself tidying up, it could be a clear sign that your loved one is being neglected by nursing home staff members.

In such cases, speak to management to try to resolve the problem, or get advice from a specialist attorney.