Have you noticed signs that your loved one isn’t being treated well in a nursing home? If you can’t shake the feeling that something is happening behind closed doors, reach out to our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers as soon as possible.
Families have to make one of the hardest decisions of their lives when they speak up about a loved one being harmed in a nursing home. We know how confusing it is to go from trusting the system to questioning everything, but we’re proud of you for seeking help.
At Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys, our lawyers have decades of legal experience between us. As your nursing home abuse lawyer in Bakersfield, we’ll fight for justice.
How Dangerous Conditions Take Root in Bakersfield Nursing Homes
Kern County’s long-term care facilities deal with staffing shortages, high resident-to-aide ratios, and aging buildings. These challenges can create subtle cracks in the daily routines that residents depend on while living in local nursing homes:
- A skipped repositioning turns into a pressure sore.
- A delay in answering call lights becomes a fall.
- A rushed medication pass leads to confusion, dizziness, or overdoses.
Residents who cannot advocate for themselves are the first to suffer when a facility loses control of its care standards. There’s no excuse for this, especially when the system is supposed to protect them. Despite care plans and supervision levels, violations still occur.
Unfortunately, this often happens when certain facilities prioritize cost savings over resident safety. Once that mindset spreads through the building, people who need hands-on attention end up left alone or handled carelessly. When you reach out to a Bakersfield nursing home abuse lawyer, your attorney will look into the exact circumstances that resulted in harm.
Different Forms of Nursing Home Abuse Seen in Bakersfield Facilities
Abuse in a care home isn’t limited to one type of mistreatment. Families sometimes expect to see dramatic injuries before they let themselves worry, but many cases start with quiet, harmful patterns that worsen over time.
California’s elder abuse laws recognize several categories. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of mistreatment that your loved one might be experiencing.
Physical Abuse
Certain residents experience unnecessary force during transfers, rough handling in showers, or outright assault. Injuries range from broken bones and sprains to bruises and head trauma.
Some cases involve staff members using improper restraints or rushing through daily routines without concern for the safety of the residents.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Caregivers sometimes yell, mock, isolate, or ignore residents. Signs that your loved one may be experiencing emotional abuse include anxiety, withdrawal, sudden irritability, or fear when certain staff members enter the room. Loved ones often notice something like this is wrong before the resident can put it into words.
Sexual Abuse
These cases involve profound violations, and many victims cannot consent or communicate the details. Warning signs might include STIs, torn clothing, bruising, or drastic behavioral changes. California treats these incidents as both criminal and civil matters.
Neglect
A very common—and equally as harmful—form of abuse is neglect. It includes:
- Failing to hydrate residents
- Missing meals
- Skipping repositioning
- Ignoring hygiene needs
- Allowing infections to spread
- Leaving residents in soiled bedding for long periods
Neglect can lead to medical crises that are entirely preventable in a functioning facility.
Financial Exploitation
Some employees target residents who have memory impairments. This includes stealing cash, forging checks, accessing bank accounts, or persuading residents to hand over their valuables. Families tend to notice this because of missing items, unpaid bills, or strange account activity.
(310) 526-8383Red Flags Families Often Notice First
Families visit their loved ones in nursing homes with an expectation of stability. Then, over time, small things start to feel off. Maybe your loved one suddenly refuses to be left alone with a particular aide. Perhaps they’ve lost weight, their room is unclean, or their explanations don’t match the staff’s version of events. These are common warning signs to look for:
- Rapid decline in health
- Frequent falls or unexplained injuries
- Bedsores that appear out of nowhere
- Unclean clothing or consistent odor
- Mood shifts that don’t fit their baseline
- Missing personal property
- Staff who appear defensive when questioned
In local nursing homes, families often discover the truth by trusting their instincts. A resident who has always been cheerful might suddenly seem afraid. Likewise, a person who rarely complains may start talking about how no one listens anymore.
Indications like these are important, and you know your loved one better than anyone else. Listen to their concerns, and trust your instincts. These moments mean something, and even if the facility dismisses you, nursing home abuse lawyers in Bakersfield will listen.
How California Law Defines and Regulates Elder Abuse
California’s Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA), outlined in WIC § 15630, defines what qualifies as abuse in a long-term care environment. Applicable across Kern County, this law covers the following areas:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional harm
- Neglect
- Abandonment
- Sexual misconduct
- Financial exploitation
Under EADACPA, families can pursue compensation when a nursing home’s reckless actions or negligence harm a resident. The law also makes it possible to seek enhanced damages when the conduct shows a pattern of deliberate disregard for resident safety.
Requirements Specific to Care Facilities
From large corporate-owned nursing homes to smaller residential care communities, these facilities are required to comply with California’s detailed care requirements. This includes—but is not limited to—the following:
- Maintaining accurate charts
- Providing enough staff
- Following individualized care plans
If any of these steps are ignored, the facility as well as the involved staff members might face legal consequences.
Reach Out to Our Bakersfield Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm Today For Advice on How to Proceed With Your Case
When people at a nursing home harm someone you love, it can leave you feeling stunned and betrayed. Straightforward explanations are rarely part of cases that involve abuse or neglect—if not both—and families often sense something is wrong long before the facility admits it.
At Omega Law Group, we are respectful of how much anger you likely feel in response to learning about the mistreatment of your loved one, and we want to support you during this entire process. No one deserves to be handled unfairly, and you have options.
We’ll do all we can to pursue justice on your behalf. If you believe something like this happened to someone you know in a nursing home, call our Bakersfield nursing home abuse law firm to speak with our lawyers right away. Your family doesn’t have to face this situation all alone.
