Protect Your Loved One From Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is on the rise. Similar situations are also on the rise in assisted living facilities. Part of this is due to the fact that we have an aging population with many more people than ever before living in nursing homes and care facilities. Another reason for the increase in abuse cases is the broadened definition of what constitutes abuse. While the offense used to be relegated to simply physical abuse, today it takes many more forms including verbal abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, and even neglect. 

Getting a loved one set up in a nursing home or assisted living facility is tough enough; the last thing you want to worry about is whether he or she is being abused where they live. Can nursing home abuse be prevented? Maybe not in every case, but there certain actions you can take to help prevent your loved one from being abused or involved in an accident. 

4 Ways To Prevent Nursing Home Abuse

There is no way to guarantee a resident won’t be abused, but there are a few steps you can take to do your best to prevent it.

1. Do Your Research. You definitely want to research nursing homes and assisted living facilities before you sign on the dotted line. Make sure the facility can accommodate your loved one’s specific medical needs. Ask your loved one’s primary care physician for facility recommendations. Check online reviews of the nursing home, center or facility. Do an internet search to see if it is associated with any troubling news reports. Visit locations in person. You can even use Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare tool to research nursing homes in your area. 
2. Visit Often. Once your loved one has moved in, visit or call them often. Ask about their day-to-day activities, how the staff treats them, and look for any changes in behavior that could indicate abuse. Visually inspect their room and the public areas and make sure to chat up the staff too. Seniors who have very involved family members are less likely to be targeted by abusers or subject to nursing home or assisted living negligence.
3. Become Involved in their Financial Affairs. Financial abuse, exploitation, and fraud is an on-going problem for elders. It’s very easy for an elderly victim to fall for a sob sorry from a nursing home employee or to believe they have to share their financial information with staff. If they are unable to keep up with paying their bills or show cognitive decline, add a trusted family member to all of their accounts or hire a fiduciary to oversee the individual’s finances.  
4. Encourage Socialization. Isolated seniors make the perfect target for all kinds of abuses. Encourage your loved one to make friends, join groups, participate in activities and stay active in their new home. This will help them retain their independence and confidence and be exposed to a wider circle of people who can catch early signs of abuse or neglect. 

Contact A Nursing Home Attorney If You Suspect Abuse

Nursing home abuse and elder abuse are serious crimes that can easily turn deadly. Don’t turn a blind eye. If you think your loved one is being or has been abused in a nursing home or assisted living setting or by an in-home aide or caregiver, contact The Beregovich Law Firm. Our nursing home abuse attorney offers free consultations to help families get to the bottom of nursing home abuse and assisted living accidents.

Contact The Beregovich Law Firm at (800) 631-9009 or email us to schedule a consultation.