We have seen a major increase in the need for nursing homes as many more of us live longer. As we age we may require constant medical attention and help to accomplish routine chores and to maintain the quality of life. In protecting ourselves and our loved ones from possible abuse or neglect when nursing home care is necessary, we must be concerned with much more than the physical plant itself. Looks can be deceiving.
Clearly, most facilities are staffed by competent, caring personnel who work very hard under difficult circumstances to provide the best care possible. But even in the best of homes, there may be lapses due to changes in staff, or because of the overall mix of difficult cases in residence at any particular time.
While such facilities are regulated by the state and are subject to inspections, we all hear horror stories of abuse ranging from inattention (bedsores), to actual physical abuse (assaults and sexual assaults). An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. When searching for a facility, attention to the following can help you make a decision which is in the best interest of the patient:
- Check with the State or local agencies monitoring the facility to determine if there have been reports of abuse or neglect.
- Personally visit and inspect the facilities under consideration, more than once and at varied times. Visit during the day and at night. Visit during the week and on weekends. Visit at mealtime and bedtime.
- Ask to taste the food.
- Ask for a past calendar of events planned for the residents.
- Ask to discuss staffing: how many; qualifications; positions; turnover (average length of service).
- Either talk to current residents, and/or ask for references from relatives of residents.
- Who is the house physician? Ask your family physician about that doctor.
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but doing all or some of these things will help satisfy you that the right choice has been made. For those persons who are not able to have a relative or friend help in the process of selecting a facility, reliance upon your health care provider is unavoidable.
When the facility has been selected, the best prevention is frequent visitation and contact with the patient. The staff of the facility should be aware that there is a person or persons on the outside who are keenly interested and concerned with the care the patient is receiving. Frequent physical visitation and conversations with the staff will cause the staff to be constantly aware of the patient. Questions of the administration and staff concerning ongoing activities can be asked. Be alert to the possibility of problems with other patients, as potential areas of concern.
Neglect can result in bedsores and illness. Falls and lack of sanitation can have disastrous results for patients. Rough handling, or even assaults, do occur on occasion and reports of these to the administration and to law enforcement are necessary.
All persons are entitled to maintain their dignity through adequate care. Vigilance is not a threat to any facility that is truly interested in helping its patients. It can only be resented by those who feel that they have something to hide. Reports to state regulators, the house physician, and, if necessary, law enforcement should be made in an abundance of caution even if all you have is a deep "suspicion" of abuse or neglect. Consultation with an attorney is available if there is some question as to whether a legal cause of action exists to recover damages for the patient.