Articles Tagged with Nursing Home Neglect

Kentucky residents who have placed a loved one in a nursing home might be interested in a new ruling that will allow families more freedom to hold long-term care facilities accountable for the well-being of their residents. Under the new ruling, families will be allowed to sue nursing homes for neglect.

Nursing home contracts usually include clauses that forbid residents’ family members from filing lawsuits against the nursing home. Instead, when complaints were filed with a nursing home, families were usually forced into arbitration. According to the CEO of the Medicaid Advisory Group, the justice system in such cases was often not on the patient’s side. In addition, she says, the public was never made aware of what went on in these closed-door arbitrations, even when the ruling was against the nursing home.

Under the new ruling, families will be able to file wrongful care lawsuits against nursing homes. The Medicaid Advisory Group CEO suggests that family members of nursing home residents watch for signs of abuse or neglect. She says that often, patients with dementia are not taken seriously when they claim they have been mistreated. Sudden changes in behavior could be a signal that there is a problem, and claims of abuse or mistreatment should be investigated regardless of the resident’s mental health.

There are many great nursing homes in Kentucky and throughout the country. However, sometimes a nursing home resident may experience neglect, exploitation or abuse by an employee or another resident. Here is advice for anyone who believes that a nursing home resident is being abused and would like to know how to report it.

If a person suspects there is abuse happening in a nursing home, he or she should call Kentucky’s Adult Protective Services agency to report the abuse. However, if the nature of the abuse is such that the victim’s life is in danger, it is recommended that the person contact local law enforcement officials or call 911 for immediate assistance.

The APS telephone number for reporting non-emergency nursing home abuse is 1-800-677-1116. Reporting can also be done through the agency’s website via www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Index.aspx or by contacting a local long-term care ombudsman.

If your loved one is in the care of a nursing home facility, you might find yourself torn between feeling relieved and being concerned. After all, a nursing home can be the best place for someone who needs constant care and medical monitoring, but it can be a challenge to trust and rely on others to care for someone you love in a kind, respectable manner.

If you are in this position, the best thing you can do for your loved one is to continue to check in on them and make sure their needs are being met. One way to do this is to be aware of and keep an eye out for signs of neglect or abuse.

Some signs that your loved one is being mistreated in a nursing home facility include: