Watching your beloved mom or dad grow old is tough. Witnessing them start to lose control of some of their faculties can break your heart. Realizing that the strong parent who raised you needs more help than you can give them is difficult.
There comes a point when you understand and know that your parent would do better in a nursing home, care facility, or assisted living center where they can receive access to the full-time care that they need. Knowing that you have placed your loved one in a safe environment can help you come to terms with your decision.
But what happens when the place you trusted to care for your mother or father ends up hurting them instead? If you suspect that your beloved family member has suffered abuse at the hands of their nursing home, you should consult with a Jackson nursing home abuse lawyer immediately. An experienced injury attorney at Reaves Law Firm, PLLC could help remove your loved one from an unsafe situation and hold the responsible parties accountable.
People trust that nursing homes will care for their loved ones. Nursing homes have a duty to administer proper physical, medical, and even emotional care to their residents.
Nursing homes must pay proper attention to their residents’ physical, medical, and emotional needs. Staff members need to ensure that residents receive what they need at the correct time. For instance, workers need to give residents the right dosages of all of their medication. They also need to make sure that their charges eat and drink an appropriate amount, so they do not suffer from malnutrition and dehydration.
Caretakers in assisted living facilities also need to try to stimulate their patients’ minds and bodies. Nursing homes cannot leave a resident in their bed all day without rotating their position, or the resident could develop bedsores. Similarly, a nursing home cannot neglect a resident’s emotional needs. They need to engage residents in conversations or find activities for them to participate in, so that they do not become overly depressed or anxious.
Sadly, sometimes nursing home employees take advantage of their residents. When overworked employees are stressed, they might yell at their residents or even physically abuse them. Sometimes workers take money or other items from their residents. Other times, they sexually abuse them.
Unfortunately, many long-term care facilities like nursing homes are understaffed, and the employees are overworked and untrained. Nursing homes are often not managed correctly. As a result, both employees and residents suffer. Overworked employees can unintentionally abuse their patients. The stress of the job can cause workers to take their anxiety out on them.
A proactive Jackson nursing home abuse attorney could investigate the facility’s hiring practices to learn if they performed adequate background checks on prospective employees or if they had a training protocol in place. They could investigate to understand why the injury occurred and prevent it from happening in the future to other residents.
Due to their advanced age or physical or mental states, many residents of nursing homes cannot speak up to defend themselves or report what is happening to them. If a family member fears that abuse is occurring, they should look for the following signs:
If a family suspects that their loved one is suffering abuse, they should reach out to a qualified nursing home abuse lawyer in Jackson who could thoroughly investigate the matter as soon as possible.
If you believe that a caretaker has hurt someone you care deeply about, your family deserves help. Nursing homes should treat people with dignity and respect. They should show compassionate and knowledgeable care to their residents. When they fail, they should pay for their mistreatments.
A Jackson nursing home abuse lawyer at Reaves Law Firm, PLLC could help you evaluate your options. Our team of legal professionals have a strong track record of helping people who have suffered nursing home neglect and abuse. They are dedicated to helping people like you. Reach out today.
