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Making the decision to transition an elderly loved one into a nursing home or other assisted-care facility is never easy, but there are resources to help ensure that you find a safe care center that caters to your loved one’s unique needs.
Based on our extensive experience, the Wisconsin elder neglect and nursing home abuse lawyers at Boller & Vaughan offer the following tips and tools to help you and your family make an informed decision.
Elder care spans a range of facilities and services. The first step in choosing the right care center is identifying your loved one’s physical and mental health needs and selecting the right type of facility to address those needs.
Many people use “nursing home” as a blanket term for any facility that provides residency and ongoing care for the elderly. But there are different types of elder care centers that offer varying levels of services.
Nursing homes, for example, offer around-the-clock care and must meet state and federal standards. Wisconsin law defines a nursing home as: “…a place where 5 or more persons who are not related to the operator or administrator reside, receive care or treatment and, because of their mental or physical condition, require access to 24-hour nursing services, including limited nursing care, intermediate level nursing care and skilled nursing services.”
Nursing homes provide robust services for those who need help with daily personal care (bathing, meals, medication management, etc.), in addition to skilled nursing and select medical treatments. Nursing homes are often ideal for individuals with mobility limitations, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or those who require specialized medical therapy.
An assisted-living center or community-based residential facility (CBRF) may be a better option for seniors who are still mobile but require minor assistance with certain tasks or aspects of personal care. It’s important to note that assisted-living facilities and CBRFs are held to different standards of care than nursing homes. For more information about different types of elder-care centers, please see our Nursing Homes vs. Other Care Facilities page.
Regardless of mental or physical ability, all Wisconsin nursing home residents have basic rights guaranteed to them under federal and state laws. Nursing homes are required to list and provide new residents with a copy of these rights.
Under federal law, nursing home residents’ rights include but are not limited to:
Furthermore, nursing home residents have the right to NOT be:
For more about nursing home residents’ rights in Wisconsin, please see our Wisconsin Nursing Home Laws and Regulations page.
There are a number of national and Wisconsin-specific tools designed to help you find a safe nursing home that offers the specific services your loved one needs:
Also check out our How to Find a Good Nursing Home page, which features details to look for in a long-term care facility as well as suggested questions to ask care center representatives while you’re assessing your options.
Unfortunately, elder neglect and abuse can occur at even the most reputable nursing homes and assisted-living centers. The Madison nursing home abuse lawyers at Boller & Vaughan are dedicated to protecting the rights of nursing home residents throughout Wisconsin.
If you believe an elderly loved one is a victim of neglect or abuse in a nursing home or other care center, please call us today at 608-268-0268 or contact us online. Our attorneys have a proven record of success in nursing home abuse cases, and we offer free initial consultations to help you and your family understand your options.
We live in Friendship, Wisconsin, and Boller & Vaughan came to our doorstep to discuss our mother’s wrongful death claim on a Saturday morning. Not only were we pleased with the large recovery, we were so thankful to have lawyers who were willing to explain to us every twist and turn along the way. It is great to know there is a law firm that will fight for the rights of elderly people all over Wisconsin.
Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan were incredible in working on my case and my daughter’s case. I was out of work and in the hospital with a new baby. Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan protected our rights and it was a pleasure to work with them. I hope never to be in another motor vehicle accident, however, if I am and I am injured, I will contact Boller & Vaughan immediately.
I was referred to Michelle through a friend. I have never had a better experience. It took a little over a year to get my settlement but the staff there stayed in constant contact and kept me in the loop. Oh, and Michelle actually got me MORE money than we discussed. I will refer anyone to this firm. Words cannot do justice the thanks that I have for Michelle and her staff (Mary especially) thank you guys so much!
After my husband died as a result of a motor vehicle accident, Boller & Vaughan spent countless hours talking with me, meeting with me in person, and making sure that I was okay. The drunk driver who hit us did not have any insurance, and we had to make a claim through our own insurance. Boller & Vaughan was fantastic at explaining the law to me and the handling of our claims.
After my son was injured in a daycare setting, Ms. Vaughan took the time to thoroughly investigate our case and my son’s injuries. Michele was approachable and had answers to our questions. Talking with her helped to relieve many of our anxieties.
