Orange County Emotional Elder Abuse Lawyer

If you suspect that a loved one is suffering from emotional abuse at the hands of a caretaker or in a nursing home, you need to contact an experienced Orange County emotional elder abuse lawyer immediately. Since 2002, Travis Siegel of Siegel Law has been on a crusade to fight for the rights of seniors who are not treated with the dignity they deserve. Call today for a free consultation at (562) 645-4145 or schedule one online.

How Common Is Elder Abuse?

While most of us cannot imagine abusing a senior citizen, the sad reality is that elder abuse is a persistent and growing problem. In fact, it is estimated that at least two-and-a-half million American seniors suffer from elder abuse, and one in ten have been abused in the last year.

While adult children and other family members are the most frequent perpetrators of senior abuse, one in three nursing home residents report that they have been the target of abuse at their facility. Elder abuse can take many forms, but one of the most common is emotional abuse. This is particularly troubling because emotional abuse can be harder to detect than abuse that leaves physical evidence.

Types of Emotional Elder Abuse

Anything that causes emotional pain and suffering to an elderly person is considered emotional abuse, whether it be verbal or nonverbal. If you believe your elderly loved one is suffering from any of the scenarios below, speak with a compassionate elder abuse lawyer in Orange County as soon as possible.

Verbal Emotional Abuse

Verbal emotional abuse may include:

• Insulting, ridiculing, mocking the patient, or calling him names.
• Yelling or shouting at the patient.
• Threatening the patient.
• Bullying or intimidating the patient.
• Being condescending or talking to the patient as if she was a child.
• Embarrassing the patient in front of other patients.
• Scapegoating and blaming the patient, intentionally making him feel guilty.
• Being callous and mean.

Nonverbal Emotional Abuse

Nonverbal forms of emotional abuse may include:

• Withholding or withdrawing affection.
• Giving the patient the silent treatment.
• Pretending to cause the patient physical harm.
• Isolating the patient from others, prohibiting her from talking or socializing with others.
• Ignoring the patient.
• Treating the patient as if he was a child.
• Restricting the patient’s access to food, water, the bathroom, etc.
• Taking away or hiding personal items from the patient.

Detecting Emotional Abuse

As we said before, emotional abuse doesn’t usually leave the telltale signs that physical abuse or neglect will.

Patients suffering from emotional abuse may appear frightened, withdrawn, depressed, anxious, sad, jumpy, nervous, agitated, or fearful. They may show these signs more noticeably when a certain person or people are around. When you visit elderly loved ones, make sure you get to spend some time alone with them so you can ask them, privately, about their treatment.

Contact an Emotional Elder Abuse Attorney in Orange County

If your loved one tells you that he or she is suffering from emotional abuse, or you strongly suspect it, you need to remove the senior from that facility or situation immediately. Next, report the caregiver to the Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Hotline at (800) 4-R-SENIORS (477-3646). Finally, you’ll want to call an experienced Orange County emotional elder abuse lawyer to get compensation for the abused senior’s emotional anguish.

The Orange County emotional elder abuse attorneys at Siegel Law are dedicated to stomping out the scourge of senior neglect and abuse. Contact Siegel Law today. Your initial consultation with an emotional elder abuse lawyer in OC is free of charge.

Emotional Elder Abuse Resources

• Spotting Emotional Abuse of Elders
• The Psychological Abuse of the Elderly – a Silent Factor of Cardiac Decompensation
• Mental and Emotional Health – NIH