Nursing homes are made to take care of our elderly loved ones. Unfortunately, nursing homes can be the site of unspeakable abuses. If your loved one has exhibited inexplicable injuries or infections during their stay at a nursing home, they may be the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect. While it is difficult and infuriating to fathom that those to whom you’ve entrusted your dearest elders for care might instead be committing horrifying harms, it is crucial that you remain calm and logically evaluate the situation and respond accordingly. Below are steps you should take if you suspect that your loved is suffering from nursing home abuse.
QUESTION THE STAFF
Keep in mind that suspicious injuries aren’t always the result of abuse or neglect. Ideally, the nursing home staff should be capable and comfortable responding to questions you may have concerning injuries or infections your loved one has developed. However, if the staff cannot adequately answer your questions or is otherwise unaccommodating regarding your concerns, you may want to prepare to take further action.
TALK TO YOUR LOVED ONE
Listen to what your loved one has to say about whether they’re enduring abuse at the hands of nursing home staff. The nursing home staff should give you the opportunity to discuss potential abuse with your loved one in private. However, if the nursing home management is denying your request to talk privately with them, you may want to consider initiating formal action.
TAKE THOROUGH NOTES
Take comprehensive notes regarding any suspicious activity you encounter at the nursing home. Maintain an accurate timeline of events and log vital details about when and where mysterious injuries began appearing. Try to corroborate anything the nursing home staff and management assert in response to your inquiries. Again, professional and quality caretakers should keep you in the loop without resenting your inquisitiveness so long as you remain respectful and polite.
CALL THE AUTHORITIES
If your investigation reveals that your loved one has suffered abuse or is otherwise at risk of imminent harm, call the authorities immediately to respond to such abuse. You should always report to the appropriate authorities regarding what you reasonably conclude to be abusive conduct, such as the California Department of Adult Protective Services (APS). State law enforcement agents also have the authority to intervene in abusive nursing home situations to protect the public good. Most importantly, don’t assume that everything is okay if you harbor a reasonable suspicion that something isn’t right.
CALL AN EXPERIENCED WALNUT CREEK NURSING HOME ABUSE ATTORNEY
If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you should consult a qualified nursing home abuse attorney in Walnut Creek. At Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook, we have over 3 decades of experience handling elder abuse litigation such as nursing home abuse cases. You can rely on us to provide compassionate representation with personalized attention to the specifics of your case. Our legal team is composed of writers, teachers, and leaders in the legal community. At our firm, our exceptional team of attorneys is dedicated to preserving your right to hold those who perpetrated harms on you and your loved ones accountable.
To arrange a no-obligation initial consultation, contact Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook at (925) 275-5592 today.