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Every person who finds themselves in a situation where they can no longer care for themselves deserves to be treated with respect and care to maintain their quality of health. With a growing population of elderly people in Long Beach, this issue becomes more important each year. Sadly, over 2 million elderly Americans are subjected to abuse and neglect each year, whether physical, psychological, or otherwise.

Long Beach is not immune to the problem and it is important both to the patient and their loved ones that the facts of elderly abuse and neglect within a facility or otherwise be known ahead of time so that it can be avoided if possible, and remedied once it happens. When your elderly loved one is in the care of a facility or caretaker, you trust their very life with this person or home.

Rather than doing so blindly, be mindful of some of the signs that indicate possible abuse or neglect. If the abuse is psychological, the elder may first show it through changes in their normal behavior. Someone who is normally outgoing may suddenly become very introverted. Arguments may increase between the caretaker and the elderly person. If the neglect or abuse is physical, there may be signs such as a supposed failure to take medications regularly, a general increase in ailments, or even physical signs such as bruises, sores, or marks on the wrists and ankles.

Sometimes either the psychological or physical signs of elder abuse are explained as the effects of increasing age or illness; as the elderly are already fragile, this becomes a common excuse to hide neglect and abuse. However, abuse and neglect can be difficult to prove. If you suspect that your loved one may be the victim of abuse or neglect, it is vital that you contact a lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC 6700 East Pacific Coast Highway Suite 275, Long Beach, CA 90803 (562) 342-9092, who specializes in the welfare of the elderly in the Long Beach area for problems like medical liens, so that they can advise you on what steps to take to ascertain your loved one is receiving the care that they should be.

When you trust your elderly loved one to someone else’s care, and they fail you, make sure you have a qualified elder abuse attorney on you and your love one’s side. Check out the Journal of Accident Emergency Medicine for Personal Injury Victims so you can understand more about your legal rights.