You may not always be physically present with your loved one at their nursing home; which may be part of the reason why you placed them in this care facility, to begin with. But when you speak with them over the phone or see them during visiting hours, you must be mindful of any indications pointing to their being abused or neglected during their stay. Even if you have the slightest reason to believe this is unfortunately true, you must act on it.聽Follow along to find out how to report nursing home abuse or neglect and how a proficient New York City hospital negligence attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can work to ensure your loved one’s safety and well-being.
How do I know if my loved one is being abused or neglected in their nursing home?
Sadly, the elderly are one of the most vulnerable communities for abuse or neglect. This is because they typically do not maintain the right mental capacity to coherently express that they are being abused or neglected, not to mention understanding that this is occurring in the first place. This is why you must serve as your loved one’s eyes and ears to spot any signs of such incidents occurring.
For example, you must survey your loved one’s body for bruising, cuts, or gashes. Their presence may indicate that they were restrained to their bed or otherwise physically attacked by a nursing home staff member. What’s more, you must monitor your loved one’s appearance for signs of malnourishment or dehydration. This may indicate that a nursing home staff member is intentionally denying or accidentally forgetting to supply your loved one with their daily meals.
Overall, many online resources are available to help you make an educated determination on this matter.
How do I report nursing home abuse or neglect in New York State?
Before going through the rather extended process of reporting nursing home abuse or neglect, you must first place your loved one in immediate safety. This may mean removing them from their current facility and placing them in the hands of care and support they require. Then, you may serve as your loved one’s advocate in the following ways:
- You may document the incident of nursing home abuse or neglect yourself (i.e., taking pictures of your loved one’s bodily injuries, collecting statements from eyewitnesses, etc).
- You may report the incident to the nursing home facility’s management or supervising team (i.e., requesting an official incident report at the time of the incident).
- You may report the incident to your local law enforcement office (i.e., dialing 911 at the time of the incident).
- You may file a complaint with the New York State Department of Health (i.e., via phone, fax, email, or mail).
If you are unsure of your next move, resort to a talented New York City medical malpractice attorney. Someone at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. will know exactly what legal option works in your best interest. So call our office today.