What Can You Do if a Nursing Home Isn't So Sweet?

Nursing home abuse and neglect have become too frequent in today's mass media. The Washington Post reports that there is an epidemic of "abuse, neglect and exploitation" plaguing the elderly in our communities.

However, millions of families have been forced to make the difficult decision of placing a loved one into a nursing home or assisted living community. They witness a once self-sufficient family member become dependent upon others for the most basic of their day-to-day living needs.

In these circumstances, most seek the best possible care they can afford when placing a loved one into someone else's care. But the best care is not always what they are given.

Nursing Home Abuse

Elderly people living in nursing homes are vulnerable to a variety of harmful circumstances. It's up to family members to protect them from the nursing home neglect that could lead to severe injuries:

• Dehydration - elderly people are not always aware when they are thirsty and should be regularly offered drinking water
• Bedsores - when a bed-ridden person is not turned often enough the constant pressure on the same body areas will soon break the skin and lead to bedsores and infection
• Malnutrition - a busy staff may not always get around to feeding a stroke victim who has lost the use of an arm, or an Alzheimer's sufferer who doesn't realize that a food tray is in front of them
• Wandering - unless the staff is watchful or doors are locked, residents with any type of dementia are likely to leave the nursing home and may be hurt by traffic or a fall
• Falls - an elderly person with osteoporosis or failing eyesight is vulnerable to falling and should be monitored closely, perhaps given a Foley restraint when in bed or a chair

In addition to neglect there is sometimes also deliberate abuse which may be:

• Physical
• Emotional
• Sexual
• Financial

Abuse and neglect of our frail elderly citizens is inhumane and intolerable. No one - especially those unable to defend themselves - should suffer mistreatment at the hands of people trusted to care for them.

To be fair, there are certainly nursing homes that give excellent care to their residents. However, many facilities keep a closer eye on their bottom line than on their residents. They employ poorly-trained staff and underpay them. As a result, they endanger the health and lives of their residents.

Take Action and Know Your Rights

If you are looking for a good nursing home, be sure to thoroughly investigate each one before choosing one to care for your loved one. There are specific things you can look for. Take note of smells, general cleanliness, the moods of other residents and whether there are restricted areas you are not allowed to access.

It's also important to be familiar with the rights provided by the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987. The law requires nursing homes to "promote and protect the rights of each resident" and places a strong emphasis on individual dignity and self-determination. To participate in Medicare or Medicaid, nursing homes must protect their residents' rights. Residents have the right to:

• Be fully informed
• Participate in their own care
• Make independent choices
• Have privacy and confidentiality
• Be treated with consideration, respect and dignity
• Be free from abuse, both mental and physical
• Complain without fear of retaliation
• Receive visits from relatives, physicians and representatives

If you notice that your loved one is being neglected or abused in their nursing home, do not delay in consulting an experienced nursing home lawyer. You may end up helping not only your loved one, but also the loved ones of others.

If you live in the Baltimore Maryland area, why not send an email to The Yost Legal Group and schedule a free consultation?

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com