There are many things that you should take into consideration when selecting a nursing home or assisted-living facility for your aging mother. Although deciding to place your mother in a long-term care facility is difficult, you may be comforted to know you are choosing the best nursing home possible and avoiding those that possess nursing-home-abuse risk factors.
There are a number of risk factors for elder nursing-home abuse that you need to be aware of. Some of the risk factors include:
- Nursing facilities that have high percentages of residents suffering from dementia.
- Nursing homes that have high percentages of female patients with cognitive and functional limitations.
- Nursing facilities that have low staff-to-resident ratios.
- Nursing homes that lack an abuse prevention policy.
- Nursing facilities that have a history of abuse.
- Nursing homes that have a history of noncompliance.
- Nursing facilities where nurses’ aides make up the largest portion of nursing home employees.
Most studies have shown that patients with decreased orientation and who suffer from dementia are more likely to be victims of nursing home abuse. However, just because an elderly patient suffers from cognitive and functional limitations, doesn’t mean that he or she will become a victim of abuse. Those patients that receive visits from their family and friends are less likely to be abused.
Even at the best nursing home, patients can still be neglected or abused. If your mother is a victim of Florida neglect or abuse, call Mallard Perez to speak with a Sarasota elder abuse attorney at 888-409-3805 for a free, private consultation.