Alzheimer’s Residents Often Suffer Florida Nursing Home Abuse

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and crippling brain disease which creeps into thousands of lives, making it near impossible for aging adults to carry out the simplest of tasks. When families discover that a loved one diagnosed with any form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is being abused within a nursing home, the feeling of helplessness is sometimes overwhelming. An estimated 75% of aging Broward County citizens who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s receives nursing home assistance.

Alzheimer’s: What it IS and what it is NOT!

Since memory loss is an accepted stage of getting older, many are confused about what makes Alzheimer’s different from dementia. The uncertainty of whether they themselves or their aging mother or father actually has Alzheimer’s can be part of the problem that leads to being unaware of the nursing home abuse. Below is a list of Alzheimer symptoms that may help you decipher between the two.

Alzheimer’s IS!

• 5 million Americans diagnosed in year 2013 alone
• 6th leading cause of death in America
• 1 in 3 seniors die with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is NOT!

• Curable
• A normal part of aging
• A disease of old age—numerous individuals get it in their early 40’s

10 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s

1. Forget recently learned information, important dates, events, and asking for the same info over and over again. However, it is not to be confused with the occurrence of forgetting and remembering later on.
2. Challenge to plan or solve problems, such as following a favorite recipe or balancing a checkbook. This is different from making occasional errors or getting distracted.
3. Mood swings and personality changes: confused, suspicious, fearful, and depressed.
4. Difficulty concentrating and ability to complete a routine task, such as following the rules of a familiar card game, or even remembering the route to a favorite grocery store.
5. Confusion with dates and passage of time. Forgetting where they are and how they got there. This is different from forgetting the date and remembering later.
6. Vision impairment, as it relates to perception such as recognizing one’s own reflection in a mirror. Distinctly different from problems with cataracts.
7. Find it difficult to join a conversation and repeat themselves frequently without realizing it. They may call a clock a “time keeper” because they cannot remember the word.
8. Frequently losing things and then accusing others of stealing their belongings. Different from losing something and finding it later.
9. Use poor judgment in use of money, including spending large amounts on telemarketers. Loss of attention or care to grooming, cleanliness, and appearance.
10. Remove self from anything social, including hobbies.

Ask for Help!

Take a stand against your loved one becoming the next victim of Florida nursing home abuse. You can’t rely on an Alzheimer’s patient being able to defend themselves against nursing home abuse. If you suspect that a loved one is suffering, immediate legal assistance is necessary! Contact South Florida nursing home abuse lawyer David Benenfeld who is dedicated to helping victims of abuse. For or a free legal consultation, call (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 today.