The nursing home relationship is one of trust, and that trust is paramount. You should be able to rely on the nursing home staff caring for your loved one to provide proper care, support and treatment. Understanding the factors that contribute to mistreatment in nursing home facilities makes it easier to build a case when you see signs of abuse or neglect in a nursing home
Is the facility understaffed?
Understaffing, either as a means to save money or because of high staff turnover, leads to inadequate patient care. Residents receive less care and attention than they should because the remaining staff is insufficient to meet those standards of care.
Are the hiring practices questionable?
Another important element to consider with any nursing home is the hiring practices. If nursing homes do not vet their candidates properly, this leads to underqualified or at-risk employees caring for patients. Investigating the hiring practices can uncover shortcomings that put nursing home residents at risk.
Does the facility offer insufficient training?
Nursing home staff needs adequate training in the standards of care, expectations and policies to ensure that patients receive the proper care. Unfortunately, when training is insufficient, caregivers may not provide adequate treatment. Inadequate training is particularly common when nursing homes lack adequate staffing because the need for workers on the floor exceeds the allotted training time.
The nursing home environment should never leave you feeling as though you are disturbing someone or a nuisance. If your family member is receiving inadequate care, suffering neglect or showing signs of abuse, address it right away.