After you’ve chosen the best nursing home for your loved one, you will want to continue to follow up regularly to ensure that no nursing home abuse or neglect is occurring. It is important to stay aware of the care your family member is getting during their stay. You can do this by visiting frequently and at various times of the day. This will allow you to see what is happening at any given point and allow you to meet more of the staff.
Pay attention to any weight gain or loss that your loved one may experience while in the care of the nursing home. Nursing home abuse and neglect comes in many forms, including underfeeding or improper feeding. If they are gaining or losing large amounts of weight it is important to re-evaluate the diet and eating situations to ensure that your family member is getting proper nutrition and is able to eat the food presented.
Know your rights. Don’t become a victim of nursing home abuse because you were afraid to speak up for your loved one. It is within your rights to receive copies of accident reports, medical records, and clinical records. You may even have access to any public records about other incidents of nursing home abuse that have occurred in the facility. The availability of these items to you may vary from state to state. Be sure that you are up to date on the laws in your area so that you are able to get any medically important documentation to help prevent nursing home abuse.
Make Your Loved One’s Stay Easier
In addition to the tips above, there are a few other things that you can do to make the transition into a nursing home easier for your loved one and to ward off the chances of them experiencing nursing home abuse or neglect. This includes frequent visits as well as providing a complete and detailed medical history to the nursing home. This will help them understand any conditions or special considerations that your loved one may need while in their care. Providing phone numbers for several additional family members in the event of an emergency is also a great idea in case you are unable to be reached. This is especially important in the event of nursing home abuse, as these incidents must be reported as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about nursing home abuse or think your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse, please call us at Schulman, Roth and Associates.
How to Avoid Nursing Home Abuse