If you suspect nursing home abuse or negligence, you can contact not only your local authorities but the state along with reporting it through a national hotline. The sooner you report it, the sooner an official investigation can begin. This may help protect other residents in the facility and help establish the evidence you need so that you and your family can receive the compensation you need to recover.
Sadly, nursing home neglect is one that is hard to identify and rarely gets reported as quickly as it should (if ever). The abuse and neglect can go on for months before it is even discovered, and by then, it can be too late for some patients.
While there are a staggering number of cases that go unreported each year, there are also those that do make their way into the correct channels. This means nursing homes are held accountable for their neglect and outright abuse.
When you suspect a nursing home has neglected a loved one, acting fast is critical. Even if you do not have solid evidence, the sooner you report it and the sooner authorities get involved the better – in case there is neglect.
Contact Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC
online or by calling 502-791-9000.
Do You Know the Signs of Nursing Home Neglect?
Neglect and abuse differ slightly. While both are often on purpose, they are done for different reasons. Neglect sometimes happens when a nursing home is understaffed or have inexperienced team members caring for their residents.
Abuse can be purposeful as a way to control or harm a resident. Neglect can also be a way to control or harm a patient, making it also abuse, but abuse cannot be neglect.
Common signs of nursing home neglect include:
- Dehydration or Malnutrition – Patients that cannot take care of themselves often cannot feed themselves or monitor their water intake. Therefore, caretakers at a nursing home are supposed to ensure the patients get a well-balanced diet (including one that meets any specific dietary needs such as diabetes or low fat) and stay hydrated. Frequent episodes of malnutrition or dehydration could indicate neglect.
- Bed Sores – A common indicator of neglect is bed sores. Immobile patients cannot turn themselves. Therefore, when lying in bed for hours at a time, they develop small ulcers on soft tissue spots around the bony areas of the body, such as elbows, hips, and ankles. When they are not repositioned frequently, more bed sores can appear. If they do not receive medical care for those that have appeared, the sores can worsen, become infected, and even turn into something life-threatening.
- Hygiene Issues – Often, the residents of a nursing home cannot bathe themselves, they may accidentally soil their bedding, and they need help maintaining proper hygiene. When patients are found frequently dirty, have bedding that is soiled, or they have frequent dental issues, then there may be an issue of neglect.
Contact Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC
online or by calling 502-791-9000.
How Do You Report Nursing Home Neglect?
If you suspect neglect, take your loved one to their primary care physician or one that does not work for the nursing home directly.
Physicians and health care professionals are required to report signs of abuse or neglect from nursing homes.
When you want to report it yourself, which you should even after seeking medical treatment, you have several agencies and private organizations where you can report the suspected neglect, including:
- National Elder Care Abuse Hotline – The National Elder Care Abuse page hosted by the Administration of Aging has an input form for suspected abuse, phone numbers to contact officials, and neglect forms along with guidance on what to do if you suspect that a loved one is abused or neglected in their current nursing home.
- Contact Your Local Police Department – Your local police department, which is in the city where the nursing home is located, can investigate suspected abuse or neglect, especially if it is life-threatening. File your police report about the conditions, and they should open an investigation.
- Medicare or Medicaid – If the nursing home has a Medicaid-certified program or Medicare program, then they are required to handle any complaints of abuse or neglect. Therefore, report your suspected neglect to the administrator of the facility, and see if they have a procedure for filing your complaint. Do not rely solely on this method, but still start the process by initiating your complaint with their management and filing any necessary paperwork they have.
- State Ombudsman Program – You can also report suspected neglect to the state’s Ombudsman Program. This program is a federal government program that not only helps you find qualified nursing homes, but they handle complaints of abuse and neglect.
- State Health Department – When you suspect abuse or neglect, the state’s licensure office or health department also has a method for reporting suspected abuse. In Kentucky, you can contact the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Speak with an Attorney as Soon as Possible
Even if you do not think you qualify for a lawsuit or if a lawsuit is far from your mind, you should contact a local attorney that handles nursing home neglect cases. An attorney will not only help you find the right parties to file your complaint and get an official investigation going, but they will begin gathering evidence themselves.
It is important to realize that you and your loved ones are entitled to compensation for nursing home neglect. You have paid this nursing home to care for your loved one; instead they put them at serious risk for long-term complications. Therefore, you need to hold them accountable, especially financially, for the added costs of moving your loved one, long-term medical care, and the pain and suffering your family member endured during their neglect.
To get started, contact a local law firm that understands the importance of quick action and has helped countless families just like yours receive the compensation they deserve.
Schedule a no-obligation case evaluation now with attorney Seth Gladstein at the Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC. We can discuss your case and tell you whether you qualify for compensation. Call 502-791-9000 or request more information online.
Contact Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC
online or by calling 502-791-9000.
