Psychological abuse can be a little bit more tricky to identify, since there may not be any physical marks associated with this type of mistreatment. A senior resident who is suffering from psychological abuse may be yelled at, criticized, made fun of, or otherwise shamed. Residents who are enduring such abuse may exhibit the following signs:
- Anxiety, depression, and isolation
- Withdrawing from loved ones
- Refusing to talk to anyone
- Changes in behavior or personality
- Frustration, anger, agitation, and impatience
- Seeming afraid and nervous
- Odd behavior like rocking back and forth
- Rejecting meals and medications
- Refusing to have certain caregivers attend to them
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
