If you have an elderly parent, you might have thought that you were making the right decision when you found him or her a nursing home. Although a nursing home can be a great place for an elderly person to get the care that he or she needs, some nursing homes and their staff members are bad news. You might have heard of nursing home abuse, but you may have never thought about your loved one going through it. If you're afraid that this is something that your elderly parent is dealing with, follow these steps to help make the situation right.
Check in Regularly
Check in on your parent regularly to see if he or she is getting proper care. Visit at random times rather than according to a schedule, and call when you aren't able to visit. This can help you catch on to any potential problems.
Take Complaints Seriously
If your elderly parent has been complaining about his or her treatment, you might not be taking it seriously. However, even if your parent has dementia or is unhappy with his or her living situation for other reasons, there might be some validity to these claims. Take note of what your parent is complaining about, and check into the situation.
Talk to Your Parent's Doctor
Consider talking to your parent's doctor about your concerns. He or she can check for signs of nursing home abuse and other problems and can document these issues, which can be helpful if you need to take action later.
Keep Notes
Keep a journal in which you keep notes about your parent's condition and complaints. It can be hard to remember everything that you hear or see, so write everything down with a date and time. If your parent has bed sores or other injuries or issues, take pictures of them, and keep them in your journal.
Talk to an Attorney
If you have any fears that your loved one might be a victim of nursing home abuse, hire a good lawyer as soon as possible. He or she can look over your case and help advise you in how to proceed, and can help you take action against the nursing home and any individuals who are responsible for your loved one's care.
Don't just stand by if you think that your loved one might be getting abused in a nursing home. Instead, follow these steps so that you can do something about it. Talk to a law firm like The Reed Noble Law Firm PLLC to learn more.
