Elder abuse has really become an issue in nursing homes today. These facilities seem to continue to have people that are not well trained, not well equipped, and have employees that just don’t care and can be very neglectful and abusive to the seniors.
It is imperative to be very observant if you have a family member that resides in a nursing home. These family members can be afraid of saying anything in fear that the abusers will make things worse for them. Just like any abusive situation, the abuser uses fear to stay in control.
If you have a family member in a nursing home, make frequent visits and notice everything you can about the facility and your loved one. Here are a few things to watch for when you’re there:
– What does the overall facility look like? Is everything outside well-groomed and clean?
– What type of security to they have?
– How does everything look inside? Are all areas clean? How is the atmosphere? Is it pleasant and uplifting?
– Look at the other residents. Do they look happy?
– When visiting your family member check to see if you notice any changes in their behavior.
– Do they have any physical types of trauma, such as bruising, cuts, etc.
– How does their room look? Is it well taken care of or messy?
– Are they getting the medical care they are supposed to be getting?
– How does the family member look overall? Do they look healthy? Are they eating?
– How do they act around the staff? Do they engage with the staff? Do they feel at ease or do they feel uncomfortable?
Check with the staff and see if they are willing to ask questions. Sometimes they won’t have any problem answering any questions, but if they are vague and are trying to avoid them, you might want to take action.
We at Zimmerman & Frachtman are ready to help. If you start seeing things that concern you, take action. Your family member is relying on you. Our firm has experience in representing victims of elder abuse and cases against nursing homes and similar facilities.