San Luis Obispo Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Sexual abuse can happen at any age and in various institutional locations, including assaults that affect older adults in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in San Luis Obispo County, California. While it can be especially difficult to think about an elderly loved one facing sexual abuse in a facility that is supposed to be safe and providing care, sexual abuse affects older adults in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities more often than many people might think. It is important for family members and friends to be able to recognize the signs and circumstances in which sexual abuse occurs and to take immediate steps if there are any suspicions about sexual abuse. An experienced San Luis Obispo sexual abuse lawyer is here to help you.

Is sexual abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facility settings similar to sexual abuse in other facilities or institutions? Sexual abuse or assault generally has the same definition, whether it affects a young person in a school or an older adult in a skilled nursing facility. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), sexual abuse as a form of elder abuse “means touching, fondling, intercourse, or any other sexual activity with an older adult, when the older adult is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened, or physically forced.”

In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, it is important to know that sexual abuse may coincide with other forms of elder abuse, such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, and passive neglect.

While seniors of any age and dealing with any type of medical or health condition can become victims of sexual abuse, those with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment are especially vulnerable.

Indeed, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, elderly nursing home residents or patients in memory care facilities with cognitive impairments often are subject to sexual abuse because they cannot voice consent or cannot report abuse after it occurs.

Common signs of sexual abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities include but are not limited to:

• Torn undergarments;
• Unexplained sexually transmitted infections;
• Bleeding or bruising around breasts or genital areas;
• Report of sexual abuse by the elderly nursing home resident;
• Unexplained change in demeanor around a particular person or nursing home employee; and/or
• Unexplained depression or anxiety.

As the National Council on Aging suggests, it is important to look for known signs of sexual abuse and to take action if you observe them. At the same time, especially for nursing home residents with cognitive impairments, sexual abuse may not have any obvious outward signs, so it is also critical to consider your elderly loved one’s circumstances and any potential risks of sexual abuse.

If you have any concerns about sexual abuse in a nursing home or other type of residential care facility for seniors in Southern California, one of our San Luis Obispo sexual abuse lawyers can help you today. Contact the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group for more information.