Tips to Keep Your Loved One Safe
Hacienda Healthcare, located in Phoenix, Arizona, was in the news several months ago when an incapacitated woman gave birth. A physical exam showed that she had not only been raped repeatedly over a period of time but that she showed signs of having been pregnant in the past. The man who raped her and fathered her child lost his job and his nursing license. He was also indicted for his crimes. The company that owned the nursing home closed the facility, and the woman was moved to a new nursing home, operated by a different company. While the situation shows a long history of negligence and abuse, the real question many people have is how can they can keep their loved ones safe. Is it possible to prevent something like this from happening to a member of their family?
Ask All of the Right Questions
Choosing the best nursing home for your loved one isn’t as simple as picking a facility with an opening. You need to do your due diligence and ask questions. Contact the intake supervisor at the facilities that interest you and ask to see their most recent reports. In addition, get in touch with the proper authorities who work for the state of Ohio and inquire about on-the-ground inspection reports. These paper trails will give you a clear view of how the facility treats its patients.
On top of this, ask for a tour of the facility and observe everything around you. Are the rooms kept clean? Do the workers appear friendly? If you are placing your loved one in a dementia or Alzheimer’s Ward, are the doors locked? What protocols are in place to keep track of patients who might wander off?
You can ask questions about hiring protocols as well. Are potential workers properly screened and background checked? What types of credentials do they have? Are workers supposed to work in pairs in order to prevent predatory behaviors from occurring? You don’t want your relatives ending up in a situation where they are abused even once, let alone repeatedly over the course of many years. The situations at Hacienda Healthcare would not have occurred if the protocols were in place, adhered to and monitored.
Has your loved ones been the victim of nursing home abuse? If so, call me and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
