A lot of people have loved ones in elder care facilities, and you might be one of them. Imagine visiting them and looking forward to chatting and laughing only to see that they’re distant, uninterested, or even sad. Their spirit seems crushed and although you don’t see bruises or injuries on them, it’s more than obvious that something is very off.
Emotional neglect doesn’t leave a mark you can see like a physical injury would, but the consequences are much worse and harder to heal. If a caregiver doesn’t pay attention to them, doesn’t spend time with them or doesn’t support them, they become emotionally neglected and red flags aren’t always easy to spot.
Still, you have to try to get to the bottom of things to help them, and if you keep reading, you’ll learn what to look out for, how to recognize signs of neglect, and what to do.
3 Ways How to Recognize Emotional Neglect in Elder Care
Everybody needs to take care of their mental health and when older adults don’t get the emotional support they need, their mental health suffers a lot.
Here are some clear signs that an elderly person’s mental health is negatively affected and that they’re hurting.
Withdrawal and Isolation
If someone is neglected (emotionally), these are the first signs that you’ll probably notice. Elderly individuals who once actively engaged with their peers, family members, or relatives, may detest associating with anyone – even those who love them, and whom they love.
Take for instance, if they, all of a sudden, cease the activities that we all know they enjoy or perhaps their talking reduces significantly; this is a red flag when it comes to emotional neglect. They may spend excessive amounts of time by themselves, they might not look anyone in the eyes, or do not care about anything at all – they would literally just sit there alone, staring through the window. Any such (or similar) behavior could be due to neglect from their caregivers.
Emotional Distress
Depression or anxiety could also be signs of emotional neglect. If they tell you they’re sad, if they seem like they’re on the brink of tears, or they seem too fidgety, you might need to investigate to see if it’s something that comes from neglect.
Depression and anxiety can also manifest in physical symptoms like lack of appetite or issues with sleeping because the constant stress they’re under affects their mood and well-being too much.
Neglecting Their Hygiene or Appearance
If there is a lack of interest in personal hygiene or in the way they present themselves, it is always a bad sign. This isn’t about the elderly being lazy – they simply do not care. And that is a side effect of emotional neglect.
If this person does not bath regularly, wears the same ensemble every single day, or stops maintaining their grooming, it is necessary to do some detective work to find out what is the reason behind this.
People suffering from depression hardly care about their appearance because they do not believe it is worth the time or effort, therefore try to take action straightaway the moment you detect any of such behavior; don’t wait. Waiting will only create a breeding ground for more mental issues.
What to Do to Address Emotional Neglect
If you know or even suspect that your elderly loved one is neglected emotionally, there are things you can do to help them.
Regular Communication
This is important for two reasons. One, if you keep in touch, you’ll notice the little shifts in their mood and you’ll be able to see if there is something you need to worry about or not.
Two, if the person really is emotionally neglected, the video calls, phone calls, and visits they get from you will fill the gap that might be there if their caregivers don’t pay enough attention to them.
Essentially, you’ll make them feel like they’re loved and important, which can be a great help.
Work In Coordination With Care Facility Staff
In case your loved one is in a care facility, make sure to talk to the staff and try to collaborate with them. Exchange contact information (e.g., numbers, emails, etc.). Make yourself available, and be proactive by calling daily to check upon your elders.
Try to meet the caregivers in person and explain your expectations concerning their emotional care as well as emotional engagement with the patient. And also, ensure you’re clear about it. Clear instructions/demands go a long way, and there is less risk of them being misinterpreted, not understood, or even forgotten.
Another thing you can do is to get familiar with the facility’s policies on emotional support and how staff members interact with residents.
Legal Help
Sometimes, even if you take all the necessary steps, and do all the right things, emotional support/help may still fall through from the other side. Even after you’ve made your point across multiple times – there is still no adequate change.
In such situations (and unfortunately, there are many), you’ll need professional help from a lawyer/attorney.
Reach out to an elder abuse attorney and ask about the possibilities you have. Explain the current situation, and which steps you’ve already done. The lawyer will know best which questions they need you to answer, and they will then advise you on what options you have.
It is important to remember that the best chances of winning a possible (such specific) case are when you hire a lawyer who specializes in these types of cases and one who’s dealt with such cases in the past.
Conclusion
Neglect is always a hard topic, but when it comes to elders who are already fragile and often neglected, it becomes even harder.
But really, all it takes is getting involved. Stay in contact with your loved one, visit them often and if they truly are neglected, you’ll be able to tell.
Remember that you’re never alone in such situations. And if you struggle to come find a common ground with the facility, there is always the lawyer route, which will almost certainly lead to a fruitful resolution.
Just because someone is old doesn’t mean that they should be discarded like an old rag. Even you, the reader, will be in such a position one day. Think of how you’d feel if this would happen to you.
