What Can I Do if My Parent’s Nurses Are Abusive During Palliative Care? 

 Posted on July 31, 2025 in Nursing Home Abuse

Palliative care should be about compassion and dignity, and a person’s final chapter should be eased by skilled professionals who care about their quality of life. What happens when the people entrusted with that care betray that trust? What if the nurses assigned to ease someone’s suffering are instead causing harm — not just emotionally, but physically, financially, and medically?

If you suspect abuse during palliative care in a nursing home or hospice setting, you have legal options. Our Madison County, IL nursing home abuse attorneys offer free consultations and take these cases seriously. When you reach out, you will speak directly to a real lawyer who understands what is at stake and who will walk with you every step of the way.

Recognizing Abuse in Palliative Nursing Care

Palliative care is supposed to prioritize comfort, not cure. But far too often, understaffed or negligent facilities exploit this shift in focus as a reason to lower their standards. In some of the worst cases, nurses responsible for palliative patients engage in misconduct that leaves those patients suffering or even hastens their death.

Unlike other types of elder abuse, palliative care abuse often hides behind vague explanations. Families may be told that a decline was inevitable, that the patient is simply "unresponsive" or "not doing well today." But the signs are often there: unexplained bruises or fractures, sudden weight loss, rapid deterioration after a medication change, or a parent who flinches when touched.

Other times, abuse takes the form of drug diversion, where staff members steal powerful pain medications like morphine or fentanyl and replace them with placebos or dangerously altered doses. Financial abuse is also disturbingly common. In their most vulnerable state, palliative care residents may be coerced into signing checks, naming caregivers as beneficiaries, or giving away valuables. If your parent’s jewelry is missing, if strange withdrawals show up on their bank statements, or if you discover new legal documents bestowing benefits on facility staff members, it is time to act.

Why Palliative Patients Are Especially Vulnerable to Abuse

Palliative patients often cannot speak for themselves. They may be heavily medicated, non-verbal, or suffering from cognitive decline. Even when they try to express pain or fear, their complaints are often dismissed as confusion or dementia.

In these conditions, even serious abuse can go unreported. That is why families must stay vigilant; you know your parent better than anyone. If something feels wrong – for example, if their decline seems too fast, if they seem afraid of certain caregivers, or if they look like they are in pain but cannot say so — trust that instinct.

Illinois law recognizes that palliative patients deserve protection just like anyone else. Nursing homes and hospice programs are not exempt from liability just because a resident is dying. If anything, the law imposes an even higher duty of care in end-of-life scenarios. And when that duty is violated, legal action may be the only way to stop the abuse and seek justice.

Steps to Take if You Think a Parent is Being Abused in a Nursing Home’s Palliative Care

Start by documenting everything. Write down dates, times, names, and what you have observed. Take photos of injuries. Ask questions — of staff, of administrators, of your parent’s attending physician. Request copies of medical records and medication logs.

If your parent has been injured, seek an independent medical evaluation. Many families do not realize that they can request outside medical opinions, even in nursing homes. If the facility resists or delays, that is sometimes a sign that something is wrong.

You can also file a report with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), which regulates nursing homes, or Adult Protective Services if you believe abuse or neglect is occurring. Just be aware that these agencies often move slowly and they do not represent you.

Contacting an attorney is often the fastest way to get answers and apply real pressure. At our firm, we take swift action. That might mean issuing subpoenas, hiring experts, reviewing medication logs, or filing emergency motions to transfer your parent out of a dangerous environment.

Can You Sue a Nursing Home for Palliative Care Abuse?

Under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act, facilities can be held liable for physical abuse, neglect, theft, and failure to provide adequate care. The law applies whether the resident is receiving long-term, hospice, or palliative services.

A lawsuit can recover compensation for the pain and suffering your parent endured, for medical costs resulting from abuse, and for stolen assets. In cases where abuse contributes to premature death, a wrongful death lawsuit may also be appropriate.

These claims can be brought by the resident’s legal representative, surviving spouse, adult children, or the estate. We handle all aspects of the process, from gathering evidence to filing suit, and we are ready to take the case to trial if the facility refuses to settle for what your family deserves.

What Should You Do if You Are Not Sure Your Parent is Being Abused in a Nursing Home?

You do not need to have proof of abuse to speak with a lawyer. You do not need to be certain that a crime occurred; many of our clients sensed that something felt off and reached out. Many of the strongest cases start with a single concern: a bruise that does not make sense, a change in behavior that seems out of place, or a nurse who is suddenly over-involved in financial decisions.

Talk to our attorneys today to discuss whether your concerns merit further investigation. We are ready to help.

Contact a Madison County, IL Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Today

If your parent is being mistreated during palliative care, you do not have to face this tough situation alone. You deserve answers, and your parent deserves justice. At Schwartz Injury Law, we offer free consultations and treat every case with the respect and attention it deserves. When you call us, you will talk to a real lawyer who takes your concerns seriously.

Call our Will County, IL nursing home injury lawyers today at 312-535-4625 to get started.