The Rights of Nursing Home Residents

When you and your loved one decide that it’s time to move into a nursing home, you expect that he or she will be taken care of. Nursing homes are supposed to care for the residents, to assist them in areas of life that they can no longer handle themselves. Improper training can lead to confusion, abuse and neglect of nursing home residents. Here is what you need to know about your loved one’s rights.

Rights of Nursing Home Residents

If your loved one is a resident in a nursing home, your family has the expectation of quality care. This means that your loved one should not suffer any injuries at the negligence of healthcare provider or member of the staff. Residents can expect proper handling, care and the appropriate medical treatments.

By no means should a resident ever suffer mental or physical abuse. He or she should not have to fear restraints as a form of discipline. Restraints, however, can be used in a medical situation if a doctor is protecting the resident or other patients. The circumstances and duration have to be medically sound. There are federal statutes and laws that offer rights to residents.

It does not matter if a resident has a contract with the nursing home. The nursing home cannot neglect or harm your loved one in any way, with or without a contract. This means that with a contract and without a contract, a resident can file a lawsuit against a nursing home.

The Handling of Nursing Home Complaints

When a resident complains of abuse or neglect, an investigation has to take place. The investigation involves an interview process with the resident, family members and members of the staff. If there is evidence of abuse, then adult protective services can be called and will provide services to assist the resident. The idea is to prevent the problem from recurring. There are situations where a family may want to be compensated for the injury and in these cases, the resident and his or her family can call on the services of an attorney to help with the lawsuit.

When it comes to nursing homes, you want your loved one to be safe. Residents should feel safe and taken care of by the healthcare staff. There should be no negligence or abuse. When neglect and abuse happen, it is taken seriously and no matter if you have a contract, you can always take action. Contact nursing home malpractice lawyers today for more information.