If you have an elderly parent or relative who needs additional help and lives in a nursing home, you may want to speak to them about nursing home safety. While many nursing homes in Homestead and across South Florida do take great care in providing safe and supportive environments, some nursing homes have been found liable for unsafe condition or have been cited by authorities for failing to provide safe conditions.
Since your elderly loved one is in the nursing home day after day, they are in an ideal position to take an active role in preventing injuries and in helping you to uncover any possible negligence on the part of the nursing home. There are several conversations you will want to have with your elderly loved one as they enter a nursing home:
- Conversations about medical care and doctors. You may wish to coordinate medical care so that your family member’s doctor maintains good communication with you and the family. This way, you can address any concerns you may have about unexplained injuries to the doctor.
- Encourage your elderly loved one to report any areas of concern to you. Whether they are afraid for personal safety or if they find that the nursing home does not provide adequate support, staff, or care, you should be hearing about it. Make sure to stop by frequently so you can see the care for yourself and maintain good communication so you are the first to be told if there is a problem.
- Find solutions together. For example, if your elderly loved one has problems with mobility, talk about how your loved one can get around safely and how they can ask for help. Help them fill out forms so that the nursing home staff understands the specific care they need. If your loved one has a hard time communicating, consider getting them a phone or another means of communications so they can contact you for help when needed.
- Have more than one contact person for your loved one. If multiple family members and friends are tracking conditions, stopping by, and communicating together, this provides an invaluable resource network for a loved one who is in care. A support network can make your loved one feel part of the family and part of a group of friends and can help them feel more comfortable with coming forward if anything is amiss.
If your loved one has suffered an injury while in a nursing home, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) to speak to a Homestead nursing home abuse and neglect attorney in a free, no obligation consultation.
Our attorneys understand that nursing home abuse is difficult for everyone. It can also be hard to prove and can make families fearful about what will happen next. Nursing home abuse and negligence can mean life-threatening injuries to elderly loved ones who are especially vulnerable.
However, there is something you can do. With compensation, you can get medical care for your family member and pay for a quality, safe home. Contact Flaxman Law Group to find out if you have a legal claim.