Admitting your loved one into a nursing home is a tough decision that you make out of love for them, so you expect them to be completely taken care of. When your loved one is abused or neglected instead of nurtured in a nursing home, it can be hard to take in. You want what’s best for them, so you’ll need to know how to report the abuse so that your loved one can receive justice for the actions against them.
You might have thought that elder abuse wasn’t likely to happen in their long term care facility, but the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1 in 6 people aged 60 and older experience abuse in their community setting. And 2 in 3 nursing home staff members have admitted to committing elder abuse in the past year.
Since it’s a very real possibility for your loved one to experience elder abuse or neglect in a nursing home, knowing how to report the abuse is important for you. You’ll need an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer. In Columbia, SC, Solomon Law Group can help your loved one stand up to their abusers.
Where to Report Nursing Home Abuse
When you notice that your loved one is being abused or neglected in their long term care facility, you might not know where to turn or what to do. Thankfully, there are steps in place for you so you can ensure the at-fault staff is held responsible for their actions. If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing abuse or neglect in their nursing home care, here are the steps you should take:
- Speak to staff about the suspected abuse. The first people you should talk to are the nursing home supervisors to alert them about your suspicions. Bring evidence so they know you are paying attention, and hopefully they will make the necessary changes to prevent further abuse. If not, you need to take it to their higher-ups.
- Report it to the nursing home’s administration. Next, you should go to the facility’s administration to deal with the abuse or neglect and get it on file. They should have a procedure in place that they have to follow to resolve the issues. If not, you should proceed to the next step.
- Contact long-term care Ombudsman. As advocates for nursing home residents, long-term care Ombudsman works to resolve problems that residents have in their facilities and advocate for change in laws to improve residents’ rights and care. This program was created by the Older Americans Act of 2016 that provided social services for older Americans. They can help you with your complaint about the facility and see to it that the problem is resolved. If you’ve reached this point, you should also reach out to the next group of people in the chain.
- Report it to the authorities. Since elder abuse and neglect are serious and can sometimes lead to death, you’ll want to report the actions to the authorities to get it on record and ensure that the situation is handled. The police will create a report that will help you later on when you decide to file a claim against the negligent party.
- Contact a lawyer. You’ll want to have extra support from a nursing home abuse lawyer so that your loved one’s rights are always protected. Without a lawyer, the facility might take further advantage of your loved one by not providing adequate compensation for their injuries and suffering.
Solomon Law Group Can Help You
If you or your loved one has experienced negligence or abuse at the hand of a nursing home, especially if it’s led to an unexpected death, you’ll need an experienced lawyer on your side to ensure that you get proper compensation for all that you’ve lost. At Solomon Law Group in Columbia, we know how hard it can be to file a case against a nursing home that was supposed to provide the best care to your loved one. That’s why we will fight for you as if you’re our family.
With a lawyer from Solomon Law Group, you don’t have to worry about the next steps of the legal process. We will make sure all of your bases are covered as we move forward so that you can focus on healing as a family. We will work hard to get you and your family the compensation you deserve for those negligent actions. Reach out to our office today to discuss your potential claim.
