Tips for Family Members to Protect Their Loved Ones in Long-Term Care

When you place a loved one in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, you assume that facility and medical staff will adequately and properly care for him or her. However, with stories of abused and neglected seniors in healthcare facilities becoming more prevalent across the nation, families often fear that they are putting their loved ones at risk, even while they are placing their family members in facilities that are necessary to care for their physical and medical needs. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that family members can take in order to help safeguard their loved ones in long-term care facilities from abuse and neglect.

First, you should be involved in the patient’s care and medical treatment plan. You have the right to be involved in any meetings or discussions with respect to the patient, particularly if the patient is not able to meaningfully participate in his or her own care plan. When you are informed, you are better able to determine when treatment is not going as planned. For instance, if you know that the doctor is going to administer a new medication to your mother, you will be more apt to notice any changes in her behavior once she begins taking the new medication, and can alert the doctor to any issues that the medication seems to be causing.

Next, visit your loved one frequently enough to notice any signs of abuse or neglect. Try and visit at different times of the day in order to determine if certain staff members are perpetrating neglect or abuse. Signs such as unexplained bruises and falls, constant hunger or thirst, or other significant behavioral changes in your loved one may all signal abuse or neglect. You can promptly report your concerns to facility administrators for further investigation.

The Wisconsin long-term care abuse lawyers of Boller & Vaughan know how to protect your loved ones’ rights. Our law firm handles these cases on a regular basis and is experienced in advocating on behalf of clients just like you. We are here to help you fight back against the healthcare facility that caused harm to your loved one, and to get any compensation to which you are entitled.