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How To Deal With Nursing Home Abuse
When we place our loved ones in the care of a nursing home or adult care facility, the last thing we expect is to receive news of abuse or neglect and when this unfortunate incident does occur, you must deal with it as swiftly as possible while minimizing opportunities for further trauma and upset.
It’s unfortunate, but it appears that reports of neglect in nursing homes are on the rise in the United States, and with many of us having to consider placing our parents or loved ones in nursing homes or assisted care facilities, this is a consideration that has to receive top consideration.
So what do you do when you have found out that the loved one you placed in a nursing home has been the victim of abuse or neglect and how do you handle what happens next?
We’re going to take a look at that in this post, but we have stress that as soon as your loved one reports abuse or neglect or shows signs of abuse or neglect, you have to take action quickly. So contacting a legal aid and seeking advice from agencies like the Nursing Home Law Center LLC is critical.
Your reporting responsibilities go further than just seeking legal advice, you also need to make sure that you report it to the nursing home, and don’t be afraid to do so. At times nursing homes may try to intimidate you or threaten you with counter legal action, but it’s now where you need to stand firm. Insist that all of your correspondence is in writing and documented.
Then, move your loved one into another nursing home as quickly as possible. The trauma and stress that comes with abuse are awful under any circumstance, but for the elderly who are already feeling vulnerable and may well be fragile, it becomes so much more compounded and you must keep an eye peeled on their well-being and mental state.
The more most common forms of abuse in a nursing home include neglect, financial, sexual, and physical violence, so take some time to research these forms of abuse if happen to notice unusual behavior in your parent or loved one. You should also look out for marks on their bodies, unusual bruising, and dramatic changes in the way they present themselves.
For example, if your parent is usually a big lover of the outdoors or being active and now chooses to spend most of their time in their rooms or away from other people this is a pretty solid sign that things are not all as they seem.
Trust your instinct, you know your loved ones better than anyone else does and if what they’re saying isn’t adding up with who you know them to be, it’s worth further investigation. If the nursing home that they’re in is eager and willing to work with you when your report your concerns, this is a good sign.
The final years of your parents are meant to be peaceful, calm, and tranquil so, unfortunately, these events happen but when they do, time is of the essence, so act quickly and get some good advice.
