Emotional and Mental Abuse in Spartanburg Nursing Homes

Caregivers can commit emotional or psychological abuse, a common form of elder mistreatment in assisted living facilities. This occurs when caregivers act in verbal or nonverbal ways that distress your elderly loved one. No one has the right to do that to your vulnerable relative. Yet the very people who should care for and protect them are the same ones who cause this harm. It’s not fair that your loved one should go through this.

If you suspect your loved one is experiencing such treatment, you need help from a firm that has experience handling cases of emotional and mental abuse in Spartanburg nursing homes. A seasoned nursing home abuse attorney from Holland & Usry can help you take steps to stop the mistreatment and hold those responsible accountable. Call us for a FREE case review to discuss your options today.

What Actions Qualify as Emotional and Mental Abuse?

The South Carolina Omnibus Adult Protection Act clearly prohibits the emotional and mental abuse of residents in Spartanburg nursing homes. Caregivers and staff members who commit such acts break the law and may face consequences.

Identifying these forms of abuse is important if you intend to pursue a claim or file suit against the at-fault staff member. Here are some common ways nursing staff may emotionally or mentally abuse elders in a facility:

• Engaging in verbal insults, name-calling, relentless criticisms, belittling statements, and yelling
• Verbally intimidating the elder by threatening violence
• Isolating residents, preventing them from interacting with others or contacting relatives
• Blaming and manipulating residents by guilting and shaming them
• Spreading false information about a resident, causing them to become the object of jokes and ridicule among their friends in the home
• Neglecting residents and disregarding their requests or calls
• Delaying their meals, access to medicine, or care
• Verbally berating and belittling an elder in front of others as if they were children

These actions aim to cause mental and emotional anguish in residents. Abusers may do this to control or manipulate them into complying with demands.

Signs of Mental and Emotional Abuse

While all forms of abuse are harmful, these are especially serious because they’re intentional. Unlike unintentional neglect, which may be caused by staff shortages or poor training in Spartanburg, emotional and mental abuse is purposefully done to force compliance or cause fear in vulnerable people in assisted living facilities.

Unfortunately, because there’s no physical evidence—unless there are recordings—you may not even know that your loved one is being abused. Watch for signs such as:

• Unexplained agitation
• Sudden emotional withdrawal or depression
• Unusual confusion
• Lack of confidence
• Fearfulness
• Fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, glancing nervously, or shrinking back when a particular person nears them

Pay attention to these actions and take them seriously. If you notice these signs, call us for a FREE case review.

Contact a Spartanburg Attorney If You Suspect Your Loved One Is Suffering Emotional or Mental Abuse in Their Nursing Home

While you can report these observations to the nursing home management or resident advocates or file a complaint with the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, you may not get the response you’re hoping for. Discuss your concerns with an attorney from Holland & Usry. We can look into potential emotional and mental abuse in Spartanburg nursing homes. If there’s a valid case, we can help you pursue a claim or file a suit against the at-fault staff member or facility.

Call us today for a FREE case review to discuss your concerns.