Choosing to put your elderly loved one in a nursing home can be difficult, but you may find some form of relief knowing that this person will be well taken care of by the facility staff. Startlingly, nursing home abuse is more common than many people realize.
A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that around one in six people aged 60 years or older experienced some form of abuse in community settings over the past year. The good news is that there are ways that you can drastically reduce the risk of your loved one being a nursing home abuse victim. Here are four ways to choose a safe facility.
If Possible, Stay Close to Home
It’s a good idea to choose a facility that is close in proximity to your own home. This way, you can make regular visits to see your loved one and check-in to see how they are doing. Staff members may also be deterred from providing less-than-adequate care if they know that your loved one has regular visitors.
Visit the Facility and Ask Questions
You’ll want to visit the facility in person, as photos online can only show you so much. Call ahead to schedule a tour and don’t be afraid to ask questions, such as what the ratio of staff-to-resident is and how long the directors and staff members have been working there. You want a facility that has an adequate number of staff members available instead of one that is understaffed, leading to inadequate care of residents.
Pay Attention to Rating Details
Before you sign the contract for your loved one’s nursing home, it’s important that you look up ratings for the nursing home on the Medicare five-star system and review the details carefully. For instance, some nursing homes may get a five-star rating but get lower scores for other categories, such as their staffing levels or health inspections.
Be Wary of the Red Flags
Lastly, it’s important for you to be aware of some red flags when visiting potential nursing homes for your loved one. You will most likely want to continue with your search for a quality nursing home if you notice any of the following signs:
- Bad smells
- A poor violation history
- Poor hygiene of other residents
- Lack of cleanliness
- Lack of privacy
- Unanswered calls for help
- Inactivity
- A bad feeling in your gut
We’re Here to Protect Your Family
You can take all the steps above to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your elderly loved one. Sadly, even facilities with great ratings, no history of abuse, and seemingly caring staff can still cause harm to your loved one due to nursing home abuse or neglect. If you and your family are ever in this situation, please know that we are here to make sure your voice is heard.
Our Geneva nursing home abuse attorneys bring a personal touch to each case we take on. No matter how big or small your case, you have our word we will provide you with compassionate legal advocacy from start to finish.
Get started with a free consultation by calling (800) 653-0198 at your earliest convenience!