If someone you love or live with needs long-term care or assistance at home, you want to know they’re safe. You want to know they are getting good care. Unfortunately, some nursing homes don’t always do the best job of caring for their patients. Often, poor communication between staff members, bad training, and abuse from staff can all make it hard for loved ones to get the proper care. The best thing is that you can ensure your loved one is safe in a nursing home environment.
Take Action If You Suspect Abuse
If you suspect your loved one is the victim of abuse at their nursing home, take action immediately. You may not have much time to act, and if you fail to do something, your loved one could suffer severe injuries or even death. Sometimes that action should be getting in touch with a team of nursing home abuse attorneys. In other cases, you may want to consult with an attorney and pursue legal action on behalf of your loved one.
Stay in Touch
Know what’s going on with your loved one. Visit often, and arrange for more frequent visits if problems arise. This way, you’ll be able to detect any changes before they become serious. Make sure you’re informed of all medical decisions. Additionally, go over the medication list with a nursing home staff member weekly or more frequently if your loved one has recently been discharged from the hospital, has had a change in medication, or has experienced an adverse reaction.
Understand Their Rights
Many people aren’t aware of their rights as long-term care facility residents. In fact, many facilities don’t post information about these rights in common areas or even provide them to residents during admittance. It’s important to know what rights your loved one has so you can make sure they’re being respected. If you have any questions about your loved one’s rights, contacting a team of nursing home abuse attorneys is the best course of action.
Visit Frequently
One of the best ways to reduce your loved one’s risk of abuse is to maintain a regular schedule of visits. That way, you can ensure they’re being properly cared for, and they’ll be less likely to become isolated and lonely. Plus, if you know the staff well, they’ll be more willing to work with you if any problems arise.
Know Who is Responsible for Care
Find out who has been assigned as the primary caregiver for your loved one, and get to know them personally. You may also want to find out who is responsible for managing the facility so that you have that contact information. Make sure you have a list of all medical personnel involved with your loved one and their contact information for easy communication with them. This is critical because, in the event of a crisis, a team of nursing home abuse attorneys will be able to quickly and readily access the institution.
Wrapping Up
Ultimately, these are just a few suggestions to ensure that your loved ones remain safe and well-cared for while they’re in the nursing home. But no matter which of these tips you use, remember that vigilance and even compassion are key components. And hopefully, getting an honest attitude about your expectations will help you feel more at peace about visiting your loved ones in their new home.