The cases of patients being abused in nursing homes have been on the rise in the recent past. Most people have been wondering what to do to ensure their loved one is safe and what steps they should take in case their loved one gets abused. Ensuring your loved one is safe gives you peace and assurance that you receive enough care. You can take steps to ensure they are safe and file a Lawsuit in case they get abused. This article will explore how to keep your loved ones safe and steps to take in case they are abused.
How to Keep a Loved One from Abuse
Ensuring your loved one is at peace in the nursing home is your obligation. Below are the ways to ensure that their safety is guaranteed.
Visit Regularly
The first time you visit the nursing home, there is a high chance that you cannot be able to inspect and clarify that your loved one will be abused. Visiting the elderly or a relative living in a nursing home ensures that you can check on them often and can be able to tell if they are abused. This also ensures that they are not neglected, as the caregivers know you can bump into the facility anytime. It is vital to be keen on every visit and take quality time to spend with your loved one.
Spending time together allows you to notice in case of changes in their health or if they have injuries such as cuts or bruises. Also, be keen to see if their items are intact or missing. Another way to ensure their safety is by inspecting the facility at large and the level of cleanliness in your loved one space. Be close enough to your loved ones and ask how they are treated.
Contribute to Your Loved One’s Care
To ensure your loved one is taken care of and safe, you must go the extra mile and contribute to taking care of them. This way, you can monitor any changes they get and how their health is doing. However, your loved one has the right to make an independent medical decision which you are required to respect. It would be best if you contributed by having an excellent scheduled care plan involving the medication and services they will receive. If their health worsens, the home is not taking enough care of their loved ones. Always participate in your loved one’s medical care and look at their progress in case of adverse changes to confirm if they are being abused.
Get Involved at the Nursing Home
Most nursing homes have programs you might join, such as family days in which you must participate. These events give you a chance to spend quality time with your loved one and a chance to interact with the administration. While talking, let the caregiver and the administration know that you know the rights of your loved one, and you will get an opportunity to help improve the facility. These also help you know the issues that may threaten your loved one.
What to do after Discovering Nursing Home Abuse
If you follow the steps above and notice or think that your loved one has been abused, the following steps will help ensure you get justice.
Identify Abuse Signs
Knowing the signs of abuse, such as mental, financial, sexual, and physical abuse, can help narrow down the cause of the abuse. If you notice personality changes or have regressive habits, your loved one will likely be abused. Identify the nature of abuse.
Contact an Attorney
Most times, people forget to take this step till it’s late and their case has been dismissed. After identifying that your loved one is being abused, you call a nursing home abuse attorney to help guide you on the steps you should take to have a strong case of abuse. You can also inquire with them about the rights of your loved one or any other question.
Conduct an Investigation
When you identify, the attorney will guide you on the kind of evidence that you need to collect to ensure you have a case. Take pictures and medical records of your loved ones, noting the bruises, if any, that they might have.
Initiate a Lawsuit
After gathering enough evidence, present it to your lawyer to help you file a case against the nursing home and anybody responsible. If you have a witness, they will plan how they can testify to affirm the existence of the abuse.
Bottom Line!
Using the above methods to keep your loved one safe and following the steps below for reporting will ensure your loved one gets justice. The earlier the issue is noticed, the better to avoid severe medical complications.
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