Reporting Nursing Home Abuse Fast

Time is of the essence when reporting nursing home abuse - don't wait!

Reporting nursing home abuse needs to be done quickly when it is discovered. Some people do hesitate about reporting nursing home abuse because they're not actually sure that it's going on. There are some particularly dangerous types of abuse that are, unfortunately, quite common that you want to keep an eye out for and that you will want to report immediately.

Severe Neglect

In some instances of nursing home abuse, patients are not cared for as they need to be cared for. These instances sometimes result in serious injuries or death. If you've seen pictures of bed sores that have gone unattended, you know the results can be quite gruesome. If you have not, realize that bedsores can actually tunnel far into the body, causing serious damage and death. If it seems like your loved one is not being attended to properly in terms of being washed, rolled over if they can't get out of bed or aren't encouraged to get out of bed if they can, they may be susceptible to these injuries and they are devastating.

Overmedicating

Overmedicating patients, particularly difficult patients, has been reported in many nursing homes across the country. This usually involves giving patients tranquilizers of one sort or another that calm them down and make them easier to manage. If your loved one seems like they're getting too much of their medication to the point that they're barely conscious when they should be sharp and clear, there may be a problem.

Who Do I Tell?

You have the option of telling the nursing home administration if there's a problem and if you think that they will actually help. You also have the option of approaching the authorities to report these problems, which is generally preferable. Unless you happen to have a great deal of medical knowledge – and this means actually having medical knowledge, not having worked at a nursing home as a low-level employee or some other experience – it's easy for nursing home administrators and health care providers to make it seem like you don't know what you're talking about if you bring a complaint. The authorities will take you seriously.
After the abuse has been stopped, consider contacting an attorney. An attorney can help you recoup your losses from the nursing home that was abusing your loved one so that they and you don't end up having paid for a high level of care and expensive medical treatments that were never delivered as promised.