When people talk about nursing home neglect cases, they often focus on physical neglect. Hygiene, medication management, and fall risks are all legitimate concerns. However, people often overlook the role that emotional neglect can play in a loved one’s decline.
Knowing how to spot the signs before there are major consequences is important. You also need to know when it is time for you to contact an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer like the attorneys at Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP. Let’s take a closer look at what emotional neglect is and why it’s just as important to monitor as physical abuse or neglect.
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Understanding Emotional neglect in Assisted-Living Settings
The outward signs of emotional neglect are often not visible until it’s too late. A person’s decline can have as much to do with unmet psychological or social needs as it can with physical neglect.
One of the most common types of emotional neglect is a lack of conversation or companionship. Many facilities simply don’t have the needed staff to allow anyone to take time with a resident one-on-one. Likewise, nursing homes are prone to high turnover rates. It is tough for residents to establish companionship with anyone when caregivers are often on to the next job within weeks or months.
Facilities may also neglect to provide sufficient mental health counseling. Worse, facilities may have limited or no spiritual options.
Also, many caregivers specifically neglect individuals with dementia. The basic theory is that there’s no need to converse with such residents because they’re not going to remember anyway.
Notably, emotional neglect is distinct from emotional abuse. Verbal abuse and humiliation are common occurrences in nursing homes. But neglect refers to the failure to help boost a resident’s emotional state rather than overtly tearing it down.
Some facilities do not build emotional care into their service and business models. For example, a nursing home may lack an activities director entirely. They may also lack counselors, pastors, and social workers. Some facilities just operate as stations for feeding and sleeping. The net effect is a visible absence of an emotional life for many residents.
The Consequences of Emotional Neglect in Nursing Homes
A large minority of nursing home residents, often close to 40%, report feeling lonely. Loneliness strongly correlates with the onset of depression. Depressive symptoms can drive physical declines, especially when residents start eating less or moving around as much.
Depression and loneliness also frequently trigger negative feedback loops. Residents can become angry and hypervigilant. Some people end up emotionally numb and withdrawn. They may also become fearful of caregivers. The outward signs might feel closer to resentment, violence, or disengagement.
A lack of emotional and social engagement can accelerate cognitive declines. Depressive residents often suffer drops in memory, fluency, and cognition. Notably, this can drive the onset of dementia. Early intervention is important, and many facilities just aren’t built for it.
The body also suffers the consequences. Individuals may decline medications. They also may require new medications for depression, which can cause a spiral of its own. Elderly residents who require physical therapy are often less engaged with the activities that keep them vital. A person may even stop eating.
Notably, neglected residents are three times more likely to end up in the hospital. Neglected elderly individuals also have higher death rates. Folks who feel depressed and worthless may stop advocating for their own care, leading to declines in hygiene.
Legal Rights and Protections
The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 establishes a residents’ Bill of Rights. The Act requires facilities to address a broad range of residents’ needs, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Additionally, the Act requires facilities to treat all residents with dignity and respect.
Emotional neglect, even something as seemingly simple as a lack of social engagement, is a violation. Facilities must provide psychological support, including responsive care. They have to monitor how patients are doing emotionally. Likewise, state and federal inspections specifically affect any facility that receives Medicare or Medicaid money. This includes submitting to inspections.
Knowing what to watch and document is important for loved ones. You might notice that the person’s attitude shifts negatively quickly. They may become fearful, withdrawn, or even hostile. Some also develop a flat affect. Many overtly express feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and not wanting to live. Fear and anxiety may develop, especially around certain staff members.
Worse, facilities often neglect expressions of residents’ and families’ concerns. Staff members may ignore complaints or talk over them. Some even frame the complaints as a burden.
You may also notice that a nursing home schedules few or no activities. The best facilities offer group engagement, such as visits with school-age children or events like bingo. These help everyone get together, promoting engagement.
If you suspect emotional neglect, start documenting it. A journal can be especially useful. Log what you noticed during each visit. Include details of the person and the facility. Record the conversations to capture a sense of the feeling in their voice, too. These can be immensely helpful in showing a nursing home abuse lawyer what you mean about a loved one suffering from emotional neglect.
Take pictures. If someone is suffering from poor hygiene, show it. Likewise, active nursing homes tend to have evidence of their activities. Photographing the absence of signage or notes about events is a type of evidence. Directly ask your loved one about what they’ve done lately at the nursing home. You may get some frank answers, and you should record them.
Emotional neglect is a legally recognized form of harm and abuse against the elderly. Know your rights. If you have questions, raise concerns with administrators. If those concerns go unaddressed or the effort fades a few months later, consider legal action.
