Family means a group of people who are there for you no matter what. When you feel depressed, your family pulls you back from the darkness. It is like a shelter that allows you to fly anywhere but will always have your back. Family does not only mean that all of you live under the same roof. You might live in one city for work or education and the rest of your family in another state. In every situation, love binds you with your family.
Sometimes, you may need to send a senior family member far away to a nursing home. It can be your parents or grandparents who mean the world to you. But for some reason, you have to admit them to a facility. According to demographic data, about 1.5 million elderly live in nursing homes in the United States and need elderly support services.
In America, the most common reasons to send the elderly to nursing homes are
- when skilled supervision is needed
- when the families have no other choice
- when the families have tested all possibilities
- when the family has moved out and lived somewhere else
It can be scary to send a family member away. There are many headlines related to the abusive behavior of the staff towards the residents of nursing homes. There have been many incidents in the past years. Back in 2017, eight residents died in a nursing home in Florida.
Sometimes, the nursing homes don’t communicate problems with the family members. The senior living in a nursing home may suffer a lot, and the staff won’t tell you anything about it. It may have disastrous effects on the senior’s physical and mental health.
There are laws that nursing homes have to follow to keep running.
There are many complaints filed against nursing homes. The most important ones are
- The staff doesn’t respond to resident’s needs immediately
- Food quality is poor
You can hire a nursing home abuse lawyer to help you if your loved one has been abused. Your lawyer will work to get you the compensation you deserve. They will also help you understand your legal rights and options.
Here are a few ways to keep your loved one safe in a nursing home
1. Choose the Best one
To keep your loved one in a safe environment, you should research nursing homes. There are many self-proclaimed facilities.
You will know the right home for your loved one when you will see one. You can search on the internet to check the scores of different facilities.
Read the comment section to see the inside of the home. People whose loved ones are in the facility usually leave comments about the environment. You may need to research a few and compare them to find the best one.
2. Visit as often as Possible
Sadly, many don’t visit their family members in nursing home facilities. It causes the senior to suffer from depression and anxiety. They may feel abandoned.
Visiting your loved ones frequently is the best approach to ensure their safety. The more you visit, the better their mental health will be. They will be able to tell you their concerns directly.
When you visit the facility, you will see the cleanliness of the room and home, the way the staff interacts with the residents, the food standard, and the things that residents do for fun.
3. Choose a Neighborhood Nursing Home
When you live far away from the nursing home, the staff may know you will not visit much. They may start to neglect your adored one.
It is good to select a nursing home closer to your home or workplace, or at least in the same city. You can visit as much as you can. Your beloved will feel alive if you keep paying visits.
4. Visit without Prior Notice
It is part of human nature to change behavior if someone is watching or is coming to observe. The same applies to nursing home staff. The staff may not take good care of your senior.
When you inform them that you are paying a visit to the facility, they might start looking after them better. When you pay a visit unannounced, you will be able to observe the true face of the staff.
5. Keep a Record of Medical Problems and Needs
When you send your loved one to a nursing home, assuming they may already have a deteriorating health condition. It would be best if you keenly observed their health status after sending them away.
If you notice any decline in their health, ask the authorities or your loved ones about the care they receive in the facility. If they complain of anything, talk to the nursing home officials.
6. Keenly Notice the Mood
During your visits, keenly observe the behavior, mood, and health of your loved one. If they are in an irritable mood, it means there is some problem at the facility. They may seem depressed and anxious.
There are many reasons for the changed behavior; you will have to dig deep to find out what is bothering them. Ask your beloved about any ill-treatment.
7. Understand the Hierarchy
You should have a basic knowledge of the hierarchy of the facility. The chief or director of the facility will be the highest rank on the ladder. You should know the floor nurse, the janitors, the palliative care experts, and all the staff.
8. Look for the abusive behavior of staff
Elder abuse is a real thing. Elders may experience abuse when they rely upon care facilities, friends, or families.
Various types of elder abuse include physical, sexual, emotional abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
You can file a legal complaint against the nursing home if your loved one is abused. According to federal and state laws, failure to provide proper care to the residents in a nursing home is illegal.
Conclusion
Sending your loved ones to a nursing home can be a terrifying ordeal. There are hundreds of reasons to send them to these facilities. But admitting them to a facility does not relieve you of your responsibilities.
If you want to ensure your family member is getting proper care, visit the facility as much, keep a record of their health, and talk to the staff and authorities if you notice anything weird. There is much you can do to ensure the safety and well-being of your senior family member.