As the Baby Boomer generation grows into old age, more and more of them are finding their way to nursing homes and assisted care facilities. This situation is a seriously challenging turn of events both for the Boomers themselves, and their grown children, who are often tasked with selecting the right home for them.
It should come as no surprise to find that eldercare is an absolutely booming business and the type of care offered at these facilities varies greatly from place to place. Unfortunately, many assisted living home operators happily cut corners on both their facilities and their staff members. That can lead to unfortunate accidents and, even worse, cases of extreme elder abuse.
If you think that your loved one isn’t getting the care he or she needs, or is being abused in a nursing home, you need to make a few moves very quickly to protect them. Here’s a few thoughts on what to do if you’ve found yourself in this awful position.
Document Everything
Whether you suspect elder abuse is happening or not, it’s absolutely critical that you keep careful records of what’s being done to your parent when they’re in the care of nursing facility. This means keeping every bill, every medical record and anything else you can get your hands on.
Also, take time to get to know the staff members by name. Many perpetrators of elder abuse rely on anonymity to cover their dark work. Simply know who is watching your parent and when not only helps prevent abuse, but it helps you document it down the line.
Get a Lawyer
One of the best things you can do if you suspect your loved one is getting less-than-loving care, is to hire the services of a qualified attorney. Most big cities host several elder abuse attorneys who work on nothing but this type of case. For instance, you’ll find a few elder abuse attorneys in Phoenix Arizona.
These experienced litigators are skilled at moving in quickly to not only insure the abuse stops right away. Your attorney can also assist in getting your parent moved to a facility where abuse is not an issue to prevent retaliation from abusive staff members.
In many cases, that’s all families want, to end the abuse. But if you find that a financial settlement is required, your attorney can help with that, too.
Brace Yourself
If you are anticipating a financial settlement, you’d better brace yourself for a long wait. Insurance companies and assisted facilities know that time is not on their patient’s side and are happy to delay proceedings as long as they can.
As repugnant as it sounds, they’re banking that your loved one passes away and the whole thing goes away. Don’t let them get away with this.
Stay active in your loved one’s care and don’t let anyone intimidate you from getting them the help they need.
You won’t be surprised to find out that all of this is going to take an emotional toll on you and your family. If you’re going through this, don’t be afraid to speak with your attorney about the problems it’s causing you, too.
If you’re determined enough, you can always find a facility where your loved one can get care, not abuse.
