Families Speak Out About Abuse in Nursing Homes
Abuse in nursing homes is an ongoing problem, worse in some facilities than others. Even worse, the families often don’t know about it until later—sometimes not until after their loved ones pass away.
Take, for example, the case of Laura Jean Enos - an elderly woman who recently passed away while in a nursing home. On the night Enos died, her family saw numerous bruises on her face. These bruises allegedly resulted from the woman falling on her face. The victim’s 29-year-old granddaughter stated that she is unable to even look at pictures of her grandmother because she is so upset over what happened. It was only after the death of the victim that the family suspected any type of problem with the quality of the care she was receiving.
Another man, Nathan Castro, says that he is not convinced his mother received the care for which he was paying. He stated his mother cried and didn’t want to return to the nursing home, but would never say what was going on or why she didn’t want to return. In spite of bruises all over his mother’s body, the man was unable to prove any abuse on the part of the nursing home and staff. He said his mother would never tell anyone whether she was being abused or provide any insight into the cause of the bruises.
Lack of Reports Adds to the Problem
According to many, the main reason that elderly patients are afraid to report the abuse is a fear of retaliation. Their fear is so strong and deeply embedded that they refuse to report that they’re being taken advantage of, suffering from abuse, or being denied the quality of care to which they are entitled. They often don’t believe things will get better (or that anyone is going to believe them) even if they do report it.
Finding Quality Care
While many nursing homes in Texas have poor ratings, there are some nursing home facilities which have have achieved outstanding ratings. How do you find the best ones? If you’re in Texas, one of the best resources available is the Long Term Care Quality Reporting System provided by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. While this is a great tool, ratings should not be your only deciding factor. Always do your due diligence when researching the best nursing homes by visiting the facility, taking a tour, and speaking with other visiting family members in order to determine if the facility is right for your parent.
In many areas of Texas, there are no well-rated nursing home facilities at all. This is unfortunate, and can make the task of finding quality elder care extremely difficult. You want to find the best nursing home that you can afford, but you also want your loved ones close to home so that you can visit as often as possible. Whatever your decision, the key is to make sure to conduct proper research before choosing any residential care facility.
If you suspect a loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, we urge you to take action as soon as possible. Remove them from the facility, file a police report, and reach out to a nursing home lawyer for a free consultation regarding your family’s legal options moving forward.
Category: Lawyer's Advice
