Most people think little about nursing home abuse or neglect, or the laws that regulate nursing homes, until it affects them. Rawlins attorney Fred Harrison has a particular interest in taking care of the elderly.
If your disabled or aged family member has been the victim of injury or neglect in a Wyoming nursing home or assisted living setting, we can help.
The suffering endured by many elderly patients who find themselves in abusive or negligent nursing homes are sometimes beyond our imagination. If you are faced with finding and dealing with long term care facilities, this article is for you.
Here are some actions you can take to help safeguard your aging or disabled loved one against the tragedy of nursing home abuse and neglect. Together we can make a difference.
What to look for in a Nursing Home
- Visit the facility on several occasions at different hours; try mornings, nights, and weekends.
- Check out the number of staff on duty at various times.
- Make note of the sanitary conditions of the nursing home each time you visit.
- Talk with staff and patients who live there, to see if they are pleased with the home and its services.
- Check the nursing home's most recent state inspection report. This will show whether the nursing home is deficient in any areas.
- Check if the facility is financially sound. Were you asked to pay a large up-front fee? Safeguard yourself and your elderly patient against using a nursing home which is at risk of going out of business.
Nursing Home Abuse Warning Signs
On the average, nursing home patients need at least two hours a day of care from a nurse's aide. Yet an inexcusable percent of nursing homes fall way short of meeting this very minimal threshold.
Abuse can take many forms. It may be done by affirmative acts such as hitting or pushing. Abuse can also result from negative acts, such as deliberately not feeding the elder care patient, or failing to provide proper personal hygiene.
Some signs of nursing home abuse that you should act on immediately are:
- severe bedsores
- malnutrition
- dehydration
- abnormal weight loss
- infections
- emotional and psychological abuse
- medication errors
- falls and broken bones
- wrongful death
Elderly patients in nursing homes are among the most vulnerable members of our society. If you (or a member of your family) have suffered the indignity of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you need an experienced law firm that will work hard to protect your rights.
Contact us today for help with nursing home abuse. The Harrison Law Firm is driven to perpetuate change so that abuse in Wyoming nursing homes is a thing of the past.
