Alden Estates of Shorewood

It can be worrying to trust the care of your elderly family member to strangers, but you can rest assured that most assisted living facilities provide excellent care to their residents. There are also things you can do to ensure your loved one is safe during their residency.

The first step is doing your research to pick a good nursing home. You can do this easily online by looking up reviews and ratings, like the ones we share here. Assisted living facilities also offer tours. If possible, tour multiple times and even stop by unannounced to observe the daily goings-on of the facility.

Once your loved one has moved in, talk to them and visit often to keep tabs on their well-being. While visiting you can assess their health and care and observe the cleanliness of the facility and staff behavior. If you witness anything that doesn’t seem right, don’t be afraid to ask questions about standards and protocols.

There are signs you can look for that may indicate your relative is suffering from neglect or abuse. Some of these signs include unexplained injuries such as fractures, burns, and bruises, as well as frequent hospitalizations. Other physical signs include severe bedsores, sudden weight loss, poor hygiene, and unkempt appearance.

An abused elderly person may exhibit sudden changes in behavior. Note if your loved one suddenly becomes unusually withdrawn, violent, agitated, or confused.

Other signs at the facility may further indicate neglect, such as a dirty room or bathroom, incorrectly administered medicine or medical treatment, or any instance when staff fail to give a resident appropriate privacy and respect.

If you observe or hear of anything amiss, document the incident and take your concerns to the facility’s management. They should be willing to answer any questions and act on solutions to prevent future events. If they fail to do this satisfactorily, however, you may need to resort to legal action.