Beware of Abuse & Neglect
Nursing home abuse and neglect are major problems in this country, and because nursing home residents are often unable to speak up for themselves, these problems have only continued to grow.
Having a loved one in a nursing home is often very difficult to cope with mentally, emotionally and financially. This is especially true if your loved one is unable to communicate or has Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Below are 3 tips to help you watch over your loved one in a nursing home.
1. Monitor your loved one and communicate regularly with your loved one’s nurse/nurse aide.
This is probably the most important factor in ensuring that your loved one receives quality care. In many nursing home abuse or neglect cases, the resident’s family did not maintain regular contact with their loved one. Without regular contact, family members simply cannot know whether their loved one is being neglected or abused.
In addition to checking in with your loved one, it is also important to communicate regularly with the nurses and other employees who care for your loved one. Doing so sends a message that you will be on alert for any issues with the care and treatment of your loved one.
2. Maintain a good level of contact with your loved one’s primary care doctor.
Family doctors of nursing home residents are in a position to recognize emotional and mental problems such as depression and anxiety. In addition, family doctors can recognize signs of physical abuse or sexual abuse. Therefore, it is important to maintain a good level of contact with your loved one’s family doctor. Make sure that your loved one signs a HIPAA authorization allowing you to access your loved one’s medical information.
3. Get to know the families of other residents, especially your loved one’s roommate(s) and friends at the nursing home.
There is strength in numbers. This is especially true when it comes to preventing and responding to nursing home abuse and neglect. In many cases, multiple residents will be subjected to abuse and neglect. This is often true in cases in which there is a pattern of neglect; multiple residents will suffer similar injuries.
Therefore, it is important to get to know the families of the residents who come into regular contact with your loved one. This includes roommates and friends at the nursing home.
Legal Rights of Victims of Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse
Victims of nursing home neglect or abuse have legal rights in the civil justice system and sometimes, the criminal justice system. Civil lawsuits based on neglect or abuse may result in reasonable financial compensation for injuries and pain and suffering.
For a free consultation, please contact our nursing home injury lawyers. We are licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. (215) 985-0777
Disclaimer: This website does not create any attorney-client relationship or provide legal advice. Our lawyers provide legal advice only after accepting a case. It is imperative that any action taken is done on advice of counsel. Read full disclaimer below.