As the average age of the population advances, many families are being faced with the difficult decision of helping aging parents choose a nursing home or senior residence. Compounding the issue is that there have been numerous stories in the news concerning unethical and abusive nursing homes and senior living centers. Therefore, it is important to take great care in screening all potential facilities to ensure that the best possible care is arranged.
The first thing to do in choosing a nursing home is get the list of all of the homes in the area from the Eldercare Locator provided by the US Health and Human Services Department. The agency will have a list of homes plus the name of the local ombudsman. The ombudsman is unable to recommend a facility over another but will be able to answer specific questions.
Next, start the search closer to home. These will allow for more frequent visits to see your loved one in the facility. While this is good for the patient on an emotional level, it will also help ensure better care. Nursing homes know who gets regular visitors and may bestow a bit more care on the patients who receive visitors.
Finally, visiting the nursing homes plays a huge role. Do not make your first visit with an appointment. Popping in unannounced helps ensure that you get a much better idea of how the facility is run. Also while visiting use the bathroom to check out the hot water supply. This is one of the most common complaints in nursing homes, particularly larger ones. Look for the residents as well. Residents should be seen in the activity areas, dining rooms, and outdoor areas but not being changed, dressed, etc. If the second set of activities is visible, it could mean that the facility does not value the privacy or dignity of its residents.
Contact an Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has experienced abuse at the hands of a long-term care facility or nursing home, don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Indianapolis nursing home malpractice attorneys at Hankey Marks & Crider at (317) 634-8565.