Tips for Finding Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Elder abuse and nursing home neglect are becoming increasingly common in this country, especially with the growing number of elderly citizens needing long-term care. Nursing home neglect can be very tricky to catch and often is not as easy to spot as more obvious signs of elder abuse. However, the resulting damage of nursing home neglect can be just as serious and can result in serious injuries or the death of your loved one.
Tips for Catching Neglect
There are many organizations and institutions that are dedicated to educating family members about the specific signs of nursing home neglect. These signs can include bed sores, falls, withdrawn behavior, weight loss, failing hygiene, other strange smells, and more. If you see or suspect that there may be nursing home neglect happening with your loved one, here are a few ways to check on their well-being.
Care Assessments
When a new resident is admitted into a nursing home, the facility must do a care assessment. This looks at all potential risks and assesses the best way to care for the patient in the facility. They are supposed to highlight any potential red flags. Check that all staff members know your loved one’s care assessment needs and are following the plan set out in the assessment.
Vary Your Visitation Schedule
Nursing staff that is neglecting your loved one may pay attention to the times that you come to visit. If you are coming at the same time or same day they may try harder to care for your family member when you are around. Visit at different times of the day and different days of the week to ensure that your loved one is being treated well at all times.
Do Your Research
Go online and research the facility where your family member is staying. Government websites and other organizations exist to report potential issues at nursing homes, and you can check on any past reports of neglect.
Communicate with Your Loved One
If possible, try and communicate with your loved one about any possible signs of nursing home neglect. While this may be more difficult to do if your family member is suffered from dementia or another debilitating issue, simply attempting to talk with them about problems may be enough to put the nursing home on notice to fix the problem. If you cannot communicate with your loved one, be sure to communicate with the staff at the facility that you will know if they neglect the one that you love.
Call a Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Today
If can be heart-wrenching to learn that the people that you have entrusted your loved one to are treating them with neglect, and you deserve to be compensated for your pain. If you or a loved one has suffered from nursing home neglect in the West Palm Beach area, let the experienced attorneys at Gary Roberts & Associates help. We will advocate aggressively on your behalf to help you recover due compensation.
