You expect nothing but the best when you entrust a nursing home with the care of your elderly loved one. Sadly, this is often not the case. Nursing home abuse and neglect are common in New York and the rest of the country. When the topic of nursing home abuse comes up, you might think about a caregiver slapping your relative or neglecting to feed and bathe him or her. While these are common abuses, they are far from the only ones your loved one might suffer.
Understaffing in nursing homes leads to neglect
Understaffing in nursing homes is a huge problem across the United States. It is estimated that 90 percent of all nursing homes in the country are suffering from understaffing. The problem is mainly a result of nursing homes being focused on profit, and, therefore, unwillingness to raise salaries or pay for a larger workforce.
How neglect can impact a nursing home resident's health
If you had to place a parent, grandparent or other family member in a nursing home, it was probably because they need ongoing care. Many adults don't have the time to provide daily aid to a loved one, especially if they have a career or minor children at home. You probably assumed that the nursing home facility will take great pains to ensure your loved one receives adequate care.
Is your parent’s nursing home using chemical restraints?
If your parent suffers from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or some other kind of mental disability and lives in a New York nursing home, you likely have a nagging worry that the facility may not be providing the care (s)he needs and to which (s)he is entitled. Unfortunately, your concern may be justified.
Nursing home neglect can lead to falls
Imagine your mother or father pushing the call light in their nursing home. They're meant to wait for a nurse to arrive to help them get up out of bed. They also have to wait for a nurse to go to the bathroom or get dressed.
Watch for these signs of nursing home abuse
It can take months to find a nursing home that has a room available and seems to provide sufficient care. Imagine eventually moving your mother into a nursing facility in White Plains. Things seemed great during the first couple of weeks, but you started to notice a few things that made you uncomfortable when you went to visit. Perhaps, you even began to wonder if there was neglect or abuse occurring in the nursing home.
