Looking For A Nursing Home? Here Are Some Good Questions To Ask To Reduce the Chance Of Nursing Home Injury.
One of the most difficult things millions of Americans face each year is placing their parents or other elders in a nursing home. It’s often a heart-wrenching decision, and you want some assurance your loved one will receive humane treatment and care. Looking for a nursing home that will take good care of your loved one is the moist important factor.
As Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys, at the Law Office of Scott D. DeSalvo, we share your concern, and we want to offer a number of suggestions to help you find a nursing home where your loved one will be treated with dignity and respect and receive attentive care.
While this list is by no means exhaustive, we feel these are some things to observe and questions to ask when looking for a nursing home.
- Visit more than one nursing home so you can make comparisons.
- Consider the location. The nursing home should be close enough that you can visit often without having to drive hours each way.
- How does the place smell? The odors encountered are not always pleasant, but that’s sometimes unavoidable. Certain medications and diets sometimes make residents more gassy, and as people age, they’re more likely to lose control of their bladder and bowels. So, a faint unpleasant whiff isn’t necessarily bad. But if the facility reeks of stale urine that could mean the place is not properly cleaned.
- What sounds do you hear? Hearing someone moaning or yelling “help” doesn’t necessarily indicate bad care. It could just be an indication of patient dementia. Instead, listen to how staff addresses residents. Do they speak respectfully or do they use demeaning names like “Mama” or “Grandpa?”
- Does the facility conduct background checks on its employees? Under federal law, elder care facilities must not hire people who have committed violent acts against patients. Unfortunately, the law does not require the use any specific type of background checks. The choice is up to each nursing home, and they may not bother to check.
- How do residents spend their afternoons? Quality nursing homes have a daily calendar of activities for residents. If your loved one is room-bound, activities should be brought to them.
- What happens if I run out of funds? If my resources are exhausted, are you certified to accept Medicaid?
What To Do If Your Loved One Suffers An Injury
People looking for a nursing home are often searching because they are unhappy. Their loved one was at a different nursing home and they were injured. Their loved ones want them to go to a new place that is safer and provides better care.
This is very reasonable. If you can do it, your should, but only if it is feasible. Do not make an emotional decision, because your loved one could end up somewhere worse.
If you or a loved on got hurt at a nursing home, here's what to do.
- Make sure you have a Power of Attorney for healthcare as well as financial decisions for your loved one.
- Meet with the administrator to get their side of the story.
- Report the Nursing Home to the Illinois Department of Health.
- Speak with a Nursing Home Injury Lawyer.
If despite your best efforts to prevent it, you suspect your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse, contact us.
As Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys we’ll work with you to secure restitution for the abuse suffered. Call the Law Office of Scott D. DeSalvo today!
Here's what you need to know if you are looking for a nursing home because of nursing home injury.
- The consultation over the phone or in person is 100% free.
- All of your questions will be answered.
- You only hire me if you want to, no obligation.
- You do not pay anything. I only get paid if we win the case, and I get paid out of the case, not out of your pocket.
So if you have questions, give us a call.
