Most families who take their loved ones to a nursing home have no other option or simply want the best care for their aging family member. It is harrowing and frustrating when the families find out their loved one is suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of people who should be taking care of them. It is only natural for the family to want to withdraw their patient and seek compensation for the physical, mental, and psychological abuse the negligent staff inflicted on their family member. Every nursing home is bound by law to follow strict rules and regulations when dealing with its patients. When the staff breach this standard of care, the best option would be to seek compensation. This article will discuss everything you need to know about abuse and neglect compensation
Standards of care in a nursing home
In every state, there are specific regulations and requirements for licensing that bind each operational nursing home. We can say they are a measure of good and bad and help determine whether or not the nursing home has met the set expectations. First and foremost, the nursing home should hire qualified staff such as certified nursing assistants. The facility should also have adequate staff to tend to each patient without delays. The accommodation at the facility should also meet the individual’s needs and preferences. The staff should also be prepared to help elderly folk with basic hygiene tasks, provide adequate food and hydration and give them the necessary medication to improve their quality of life. Employees at the nursing home have a responsibility to determine and curb the spread of life-threatening infections that take the lives of numerous residents each year.
Types of neglect and abuse in a nursing home
Unfortunately, many nursing home employees neglect and abuse the patients entrusted in their care. As a result, elderly folk develop severe injuries and even die while staying at these nursing homes. Neglect and abuse in nursing homes can take on various forms, including physical, emotional, and financial. Physical elder abuse occurs when the staff exerts non-accidental force such as hitting, burning, scratching, bruising, or unnecessary use of restraints.
They could also neglect your loved ones by leaving them too long in the same sleeping position, leading to bedsores. Emotional abuse includes isolating the patient, hurling painful insults, or intentionally ignoring them when they call for assistance. Financial abuse is one of the most common forms of elder abuse, whereby staff members use their position of power to extort money from unsuspecting patients. They could also try to gain access to their accounts so that they steal their money.
What to do if you think your loved one is being neglected or abused
The physical signs of elder abuse are the easiest to spot. You will be in a position to identify the bruises, cuts, and burns as soon as you get a chance to visit your loved one at the facility. However, emotional abuse is more difficult to identify as the offending staff members might not engage in an abusive manner in your presence. Elderly folk who are suffering emotional abuse at the hands of nursing home workers become more withdrawn.
If you suspect your loved one is being neglected or abused at the nursing home facility, it would be best to hire a nursing home abuse attorney to collect the evidence and file a claim. We Tackling the case alone is bound to be tough if you don’t have a legal background, plus you don’t have the experience with the justice system. So, find a good attorney that has years of experience handling such cases. They will be better off in knowing what to expect and will guide you along the entire process till you get compensated.
Prevention of nursing home abuse
All nursing homes should ensure that their staff is in an excellent emotional, psychological and mental condition to handle patients. If any staff member has a history of violence or abuse, your family should deny them any caregiving duties to protect your loved one in the nursing home. The community should also get involved with elderly care to reduce loneliness or isolation in nursing homes. An isolated patient with no strong ties to the community is more likely to be taken advantage of by abusive staff. You should also educate your elderly loved ones on internet, phone, and email solicitations.
Wrapping up
If you notice any signs of abuse and neglect discussed above, don’t wait too long to speak up so that your loved one gets the justice they deserve. Though the compensation won’t take away the grief and the trauma, it could help cover medical costs to treat injuries caused by negligent nursing home staff.
