Southern California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
Older adults in Riverside County can experience nursing home abuse or neglect regardless of the status of their mental or physical health, but older adults with cognitive impairment tend to be at greater risk of sustaining harm as a result of abuse and neglect. Sometimes cognitive decline occurs gradually, and family members do not realize that an elderly loved one is more vulnerable until it is too late. In other circumstances, an elderly nursing home resident may have already been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and may be particularly vulnerable depending on the degree of their cognitive impairment.
Our Riverside County nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys can tell you more about why cognitive impairment makes older adults particularly vulnerable to abuse, and we can begin working with you as soon as you have concerns about an elderly loved one’s safety.
What is Cognitive Impairment?
What is cognitive impairment? According to WebMD, cognitive impairment is also described as cognitive decline, and it “refers to the concern of or difficulty with a person’s thinking, memory, concentration, and other brain functions beyond what is typically expected due to aging.” Cognitive impairment can occur as a result of a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease, or it can result from a health emergency such as a stroke.
Sometimes cognitive impairment is described as “mild cognitive impairment,” which the Mayo Clinic defines as “the in-between stage between typically thinking skills and dementia,” where the “condition causes memory loss and trouble with language and judgment, but it does not affect daily activities.” An older adult with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, may be at increased risk of abuse, but not to the degree of a resident with dementia.
The Mayo Clinic defines dementia as “a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities,” where these “symptoms interfere with their daily lives.” It is not a specific disease, but rather a result of various types of diseases. Alzheimer’s is the most common reason for dementia in seniors, but it is not the only reason. Cognitive impairment that has reached the level of dementia is the type of cognitive impairment where older adults are at a particularly heightened risk of abuse and neglect.
Understanding Cognitive Impairment and Nursing Home Abuse
Why does cognitive impairment increase an older adult’s risk of harm from nursing home abuse or neglect? There are a couple of key things to note.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, when a person has significant cognitive impairment or dementia, they become particularly vulnerable because their condition can prevent them from recognizing that they are experiencing abuse or from effectively reporting it. In such circumstances, abuse often continues without intervention and can result in substantial harm.
Contact Our Riverside County Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers for Assistance
If you have any concerns about an elderly loved one’s health or safety in a Southern California nursing home or assisted-living facility, it is important to seek legal advice. While these facilities have a duty to provide a certain level of care to residents, there are often safety violations that result in resident injuries. Whether harm has resulted from intentional abuse or passive neglect, an experienced Riverside County nursing home neglect and abuse lawyer can help you with the case. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to discuss the details and to find out more about how we can assist you and your family.
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