Heritage Health El Paso

You can’t be there in person every moment to protect a loved one living in a nursing home, but you can still take measures to reduce the likelihood of abuse by picking a highly rated facility with proof of the high-quality care they provide.

While isolated incidents of abuse can occur anywhere, low-rated nursing homes with numerous health inspection deficiencies are more likely to put residents at risk for abuse. The best protection you can offer a vulnerable nursing home resident is finding them a facility that upholds their promises of professional, effective caregiving.

Finding such a facility requires extensive research. Begin by asking trusted friends, doctors, or social workers for recommendations for the best assisted living facilities in your area. With this list, take your time investigating each facility. Look for information like Medicare ratings, reviews, and news reports online.

You can also read what each nursing home has to say about itself on their company websites, but they will always market themselves as the best; take their claims with a grain of salt and rely more on unbiased resources for information.

With your research, pick your favorite options and schedule tours at each facility so you can see for yourself what they’re like. Observe the cleanliness of each facility, friendliness of staff, and the general atmosphere. Take this opportunity to ask questions about staff qualifications and background checks, the ratio of staff to residents, how much time is spent caring for residents individually, and protocol for addressing abuse. Don’t hesitate to visit again or call if you have more questions later.

All of this careful research and touring should help you confidently pick a facility you and your loved one feel comfortable with. However, your work isn’t done. After they move in, keep in touch and visit with your friend or relative frequently to monitor their care and advocate for them if they should need it. Residents who are isolated from friends and family are more likely to be victimized, so your regular attention alone can help protect them.

Your loved one may also need your help recognizing or reporting abuse if it should happen. Many of the frailest nursing home residents are unable to do so themselves. You can help them by learning common signs of abuse to watch out for, such as

• Untreated severe bedsores
• Unexplained injuries like bruises, burns, or scars
• Evidence of poor circulation like sunken cheeks or eyes
• Weight loss or malnourishment not due directly to an illness
• Frequent trips to the emergency room or doctor
• Wrong type or the wrong amount of medication administered
• Poor hygiene or unwashed clothes or hair
• Instances of wandering or elopement
• Frequently misplaced or lost personal items
• A lack of basic necessities, including utilities, water, and food
• A dirty room or bathroom
• Frequent trouble sleeping
• Unusual violent or withdrawn behavior
• Sudden depression or confusion
• Signs of trauma like rocking back and forth

If you ever become aware of any abuse or neglect, document your experience and report it to management immediately. The facility administrators should take your concerns seriously and follow established protocols to investigate and prevent further abuse.

Unfortunately, sometimes ineffective management lies at the root of an abuse problem, and the administrators may fail in their responsibilities and obligations to appropriately address and correct an abusive situation. If you find a nursing home unwilling to protect a resident from further harm, it is best to seek legal aid.