
Putting a loved one in a nursing home is one of those decisions that are hard to make. Placing an elderly parent or family member in a nursing home is often the last resort when other options fail. Given the rise in nursing home negligence cases, a majority of people find it hard to trust such facilities. One spends considerable time and effort looking for the perfect care facility they can trust their elderly parents or spouse with. And when they find their loved ones being neglected, they don’t hesitate to hire an elder law attorney near me to file a lawsuit against the nursing home.
It’s hard to believe, but nursing home abuse is increasingly becoming a grave issue in the United States. The National Center on Elder Abuse has reported that over 10% of all the elders placed in nursing care facilities have been subjected to abuse. A lot of concerned family members ask what happens if an old age care home or nursing facility is not compliant with state or federal agencies.
State agencies and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have a free hand in punishing and penalizing nursing homes that don’t comply with federal elder care rules. These bodies can also take strict actions like implementing correction directives, imposing fines, workshops, training for staff, appointing a temporary manager for the care home, etc.
What are the steps people can take to prevent abuse in nursing homes?
Before entrusting your elderly parents with any nursing home, you should do a thorough background check on the facility. Check the ratings and reviews of every nursing home you are considering. The resident-to-staff ratio is another important factor you should check when evaluating nursing homes.
If your elder parent or a family member is in a nursing home, check on as frequently as possible. Make it a point to call them daily or visit them once a week. You should take the complaints and concerns of your elder seriously and take necessary actions to ensure their well-being.
Another question most people ask is when should they consult an elder abuse attorney near me Virginia Beach?
Here, we have listed down a few reasons why you should take legal action against a nursing home if you suspect your elder parent has suffered abuse or negligence.
The nursing home is unsafe or free of hazards: Nursing homes and old-age care homes should be free from harmful or hazardous elements. The facility managers and staff are responsible for keeping the premises safe. If the management is found unreasonably negligent in keeping the facility safe, you can file a case against the nursing home.
Poor staff-to-resident ratio: If you suspect that a nursing home staff is abusing or willfully harming your elder parent, you can file a lawsuit. Besides this, you can also register a case for negligence if there is no sufficient staff or properly trained supervisors in the facility.
There is no proper supervision: In any care facility, the management should ensure appropriate and adequate attention is given to every resident. If your elder parent sustains an injury due to inadequate supervision, you can file a lawsuit.