As your parents get older, caring for them may become very difficult. This is especially true if you have children, a job, and other responsibility to which you must attend. When that time comes, finding the right nursing home is of the utmost importance. So when you are looking for a nursing home, what do you look for? How do you know the facility you are checking out is going to care for your parents in the best possible manner?
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we believe that finding the perfect place to care for your parents should be easy. This is why our
nursing home abuse lawyers provide a checklist that you can use to help narrow down your choices and pick the right facility for your parents. We explain what you should look for and why it is important to know these things. You can benefit from the time taken to fully research all of these factors and know that, at the end of the day, your parents will be properly cared for and safe.
Staff
A nursing home should be adequately staffed to make sure every patient receives the proper amount of time for care and attention. Some nursing homes are understaffed, which causes difficulty in providing assistance for patients who may be trying to get out of bed or walk long distance. If the nursing home has a good staff to patient ratio, you can take comfort in knowing your loved one will have the attention they deserve.
You must also make sure that the staff is properly trained to handle a number of situations that may arise. This goes beyond just providing assistance to someone trying to get up or go to the restroom. This means they know how to handle emergency situations when your parent feels hurt, becomes irritated, or more. They should know how to calmly take care of your loved one without causing anymore strain or stress.
How Does the Nursing Home Monitor Hires & Ongoing?
While this includes checking the staff, the issue can go beyond just the people working in the nursing home. Whoever hires the nurses, attendants, and other staff members needs to make sure they perform proper background checks on all persons. Does the nursing home you are looking at check for conduct complaints against employees? Do they regularly monitor their employees for ongoing issues? Are there training programs in place to teach abuse prevention?
The nursing home facility has a duty to make sure the staff is qualified and capable of providing the high level of care the patients need and deserve. If they fail to do so, and a patient is harmed, they may be liable for any injuries or damages sustained by the patient.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 842-6336
Recommendations
Oftentimes, your parents’ primary care physician can make recommendations as to which nursing home(s) he or she believes would be the best option. You can ask them if they suggest one nursing home over another, if they know of any wrongdoing at a nursing home, or any other concerns you may have. Because a nursing home may still allow your parent to continue seeing their primary care physician, the doctor can attest to the quality of care if he or she has other patients from the same nursing home.
Potential Claims of Abuse Against the Nursing Home
Arguably the most important factor you can look at is whether or not the nursing home has a history of complaints against them. If they do, see what the complaints are. While it is still important to check out smaller complaints, if you notice anything regarding abuse, this should be an immediate red flag. If you feel the need to continue researching, you can check to see if the allegations of abuse were validated, which actions were taken to remedy the situation, if there’s new management or staff at the nursing home and more.
You may decide that the nursing home, while having some troubles in the past, has changed for the better. Or, if the same staff is still present, you can remove them from your list of potential places for your parents.
If your parents are in a nursing home, it is important that you recognize the potential signs of abuse. Abuse goes far beyond physical attacks. This could also include malnourishment, pressure ulcers (bed sores), and more. Some abuse may even be considered emotional. Whether you notice your parents acting differently, random bruises, broken bones, or even medication errors, making sure you take note of potential abuse is extremely important.
Our nursing home abuse attorneys at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are dedicated to making sure our clients understand their rights. If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you may be able to take legal action to right the wrongs done. You may be able to hold the nursing home financially accountable for the damages they have caused. A lawsuit may also help in preventing a similar situation from happening to someone else in the future. Don’t hesitate to
call our firm and learn how we may be able to help you in a free consultation.
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