Is Mom Safe in Her Nursing Home?

Moving an aging loved one into a nursing home, or other senior living community can be a difficult decision. However, many families are placed in the position to make that difficult decision as their loved one becomes too unsafe to live at home independently or with help. Nursing homes can be a welcome answer to a scary situation for seniors and their loved ones.

Unfortunately, nursing homes can sometimes operate with minimal staff members. This staff shortage can cause dangerous situations that can lead to unnecessary injury for the residents that live there. If your loved one is living in a nursing home, here are a few signs to look for that could indicate danger.

Stressed Out Staff Members

Most injuries or dangerous situations occur in nursing homes due to staff shortages. While you may not know how many nurses and assistants are working during your visits, you can tell if there are potential shortages by observing staff behavior. Typically, nurses or assistants who seem stressed out or too busy to talk with you are working extra hard due to shortages. If you notice stressed out staff members during more than one visit, it could indicate a potentially dangerous situation for your loved one.

Staff Members Who Don’t Know Your Loved One

Senior residents in nursing home environments rely on staff members to know their habits, preferences, and medical needs. If you notice staff members do not appear to know all about your loved one, it could indicate a dangerous situation. Staff members should know your loved one by name and should appear to know their favorite things or interests.

Unresponsive Management Staff

If you have questions or concerns about your loved one, you may want to talk to management about the situation. A helpful Director of Nursing or Administrator can answer your questions and develop a plan to make your loved one feel safe. However, if you notice that your calls or emails are going unanswered by management, it could indicate a more serious problem of neglect or disinterest.

Unexplained or Repeated Injuries

Finally, if your loved one has unexplained injuries or is injured repeatedly without new interventions, you should certainly feel concerned. The team at Grewer Law has extensive experience working with seniors and their family members, to not only assure safety but to also find compensation. If your loved one has been injured in a nursing home setting, or if you are simply concerned, give us a call to talk about your situation. We will discuss your options and work together to bring a positive outcome.