If you suspect that a loved one has been treated with abuse or neglect in a nursing home or care center, ask yourself first if you have the ability to change nursing homes. If possible, take your loved one to a different facility; but for most people, a change like that may not be an option.
What causes you to suspect abuse? Whatever that is, you want to try to document it. For example, if your loved one has bed sores that you think are excessive or worse than you can normally expect, try to get pictures of it. If you suspect physical abuse or something of that nature, get pictures.
Then talk to the people who run the nursing home or care facility. Express your concern and let them know that you're paying attention and watching out for your loved one. Come by and visit your relative more often.
Make sure to talk with the doctors who actually work those facilities. They may not have a doctor on staff when you get there, but there is a doctor responsible for the nursing home who should be coming by there to check on the patients. Talk to that person and make sure there's a record with them of what you're seeing.
You may also want to consider talking to an experienced nursing home and elder abuse attorney. A lawyer will discuss the case with you, talk about the symptoms and possibly launch an investigation. He or she can then advise you on whether or not to bring a case against the nursing home for the mistreatment you suspect.
More questions?
Contact Memphis nursing home abuse lawyer Darrell Castle
(901-327-1212)
