Personal Injury Lawyer
It can be heartbreaking to find out that a loved one in a nursing home is receiving less than adequate care. Family members of a senior loved one may even worry that this poor care may tip over into abuse or neglect. Those who want to help protect their senior loved one can watch out for warning signs of bad care, then file a report or take further action. Depending on the severity of the incident, filing a lawsuit against the facility for abuse, neglect, mistreatment and/or exploitation may be necessary.
Q: What physical signs may I see on my loved one?
A: Caregivers in the nursing home may become frustrated by residents who are not being entirely cooperative. They may aggressively use restraints to hold the resident down during treatments. It may be cause for concern if you see marks around your loved one’s wrists or arms, due to the use of ropes or belt restrains. Wounds that are inflicted on the resident may appear in areas of the body that aren’t readily seen, such as upper thighs, back, chest, abdomen and feet.
In addition to physical marks, your loved one may appear dehydrated or malnourished if they are suffering from neglect. Staff may not be providing residents enough proper meals per day, either intentionally as punishment or out of neglect.
Q: What can I do to help prevent this from happening?
A: Residents who do not get as many visits may be more vulnerable to mistreatment, since caregivers don’t have to worry so much about family members coming around. Perhaps the best thing you can do to help lessen the chances, are to be present for your senior loved one. Visit often, inquire with staff about why certain things are happening, be involved in medical care decisions, ask questions, and report any incidents of bad care right away.
Q: What if I ask questions but staff aren’t responding?
A: A caregiver who doesn’t know how the answer to a question but seeks someone else for more information, can be an appropriate response. However, if staff are evasive, unable to answer your questions at all, or refuse to share certain details regarding your loved one’s care with you, that can be a major red flag that something suspicious is going on. If you find you are at a stand-still, it may be time to talk with your nursing home abuse lawyer Houston, TX trusts for advice on how to handle the situation.
Q: What if the facility is so frantic, that I can’t seem to ask anyone anything?
A: The leadership at the nursing home facility may be lacking if it feels chaotic whenever you visit, the staff are not working together, caregivers have poor attitudes, and information is lost throughout the day. Elderly care facilities tend to have a high turnover rate, so if your loved one keeps getting assigned a new caregiver every few weeks it may be time to find another nursing home.
Thanks to John K. Zaid & Associates for their insight into personal injury claims and warning signs of bad nursing home care.