When making the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home, it is important to research your choices carefully. There are many ways to research nursing homes online; from reading reviews to websites offered by medicare and medicaid who provide detailed ratings on individual facilities.
When researching the causes behind elder abuse in nursing homes, Carolyn Pickering came to some surprising conclusions. Pickering decided to go straight to the source to find out the reasons behind elder abuse. She spoke to the nurses aides who often provide the routine care for the patients.
Several things – from understaffing to procedures on how to move and care for patients of differing skill levels, are all factors that contribute to this pervasive issue inside of nursing facilities. They all contribute to what basically amounts to an unsafe working environment.
While Pickering discovered that criminal can – and do – enter into the nursing home environment, they are not normally the source of abuse and neglect. What she did find was that some nursing aides did not have all of the training that they needed to succeed in the environment. This is leaving aides to make horrible decisions about who to provide care for and whom may not receive as much care. After awhile, it become so much to deal with that many leave the profession.
Another issue, says Pickering, is the fact that nursing homes are only required to have one registered nurse on duty for 8 hours per day. Changing this requirement and putting nursing back into nursing homes may sound cliché, but it is a solution.
While 90% of nursing homes are for profit, nursing homes that are non-profit with a religious affiliation often provide the best care.
If you think your elder loved one has experienced abuse or neglect at the hands of a nursing home, contact the offices of Schenk Smith. Their attorneys specialize in nursing home litigation. Contact their offices today.
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