It’s a tough situation to be in with nursing home neglect and psychological abuse. You’re not sure what to do or where to turn. It can feel like no one is there for you and it can leave you feeling alone and helpless. But don’t worry! Read these steps that will help get your nursing home neglect case taken care of as quickly as possible!
Document the abuse
You have to document nursing home abuse and neglect when you see it. Documenting nursing home abuse can protect both the resident who is being abused or neglected, as well as other residents in that nursing facility. Documentation of nursing home neglect and physical abuse helps to fight against nursing homes that continue this behavior because there are laws to uphold such actions.
If you are a nursing assistant or nurse and see nursing home neglect, document it immediately. Doing this is important because if there isn’t documentation of nursing facility abuse when reported to authorities the nursing homes have less chance of getting caught for their abusive behavior.
Here is a list of things you should document:
- employee behavior
- dates, times, and any witnesses to such nursing home abuse or neglect. Write down their names as well as your own name
- physical injuries that you document from nursing home neglect or nursing facility abuse. This can be things like bedsores, broken bones, etcetera. Make sure these are documented with pictures if possible
- If something’s stolen
- If residents complain
- Take photos and make videos if possible
When documenting nursing home mistreatment make sure that not only is it detailed but also factual so there is no room for discrepancies in your documentation of nursing assistant behavior at a given time versus what really occurred later on without being caught by management staff.
Keep a diary of what is happening to you and your loved one
A diary is a great way to keep track of nursing home neglect and abuse. Keep it with you at all times, but make sure that your diary is hidden from the nursing staff or other residents. If they find out about the diary’s existence, they may take steps to destroy it before anyone else can read what has been written!
When writing in a diary of nursing home neglect, write down exactly how often things are occurring- if there are several incidences per week then definitely document them as these could be signs that something more serious is going on behind closed doors. What happens when you have this information documented? You need to meet with an Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer who will examine any evidence given against the nursing facility where your loved one resided while being abused.
Contact an attorney for help with filing a lawsuit against the nursing home
In order to file a proper lawsuit, nursing home abuse victims will need to make sure they hire an attorney. Attorneys know the right steps and can help ensure that nursing homes are held accountable for their actions.
Many victims want to handle these cases on their own but this is not recommended, as it could jeopardize a case and also prevent them from receiving compensation. A lawyer will be able to file all of the necessary paperwork with knowledge about what needs to be included in each document so that nothing legally wrong happens throughout the process which would ruin a chance at filing suit against nursing homes that neglect or psychologically abuse patients.
There were previous instances of nursing home abuse happening in Arkansas. That is why you should know where to find good Bentonville injury attorneys who will help you build a case. That way, you will have much better chances of getting compensated for the damages.
Report the abuse to family members, friends, or law enforcement
Cases like these must be reported to the nursing home facility, family members and friends of the patient, or law enforcement authorities. It is important to report these cases so that nursing homes can be held accountable for their negligence in preventing this psychological abuse from occurring.
If you know someone who has been a victim of nursing home neglect and psychological abuse, it may be beneficial to ask them to make a video or get witnesses. This will help provide proof of legal action that needs to take place after reporting the case.
The number one priority when filing reports like these is ensuring that no further harm comes to either patients or workers in nursing homes across America!
Request that your doctor do a psychiatric evaluation on you and your loved one
You must take the victim to a psychiatric evaluation in order to make sure they don’t need any additional help. Your loved one may be suffering from depression or other mental health issues and not even know it. If you suspect nursing home abuse, take your loved one for an evaluation at once! The staff should also request that their family members get evaluated by a psychologist after the incident has occurred.
This is especially important if there was criminal intent behind the nursing home neglect or psychiatric assault because then charges can be filed against whoever assaulted them. These charges will result in jail time of possibly four years depending on what state you live in and the severity of the case itself. In cases where nursing home neglect was circumstantial rather than intentional, patients are eligible for restitution under Arkansas law.
Seek counseling from a mental health professional who specializes in elder care issues
You should seek counseling from a mental health professional who specializes in elder care issues, immediately after the psychiatric evaluation. The nursing home neglect and abuse can have long-lasting effects on your emotional wellbeing that you should not ignore.
If your loved one is suffering from depression or anxiety problems because of this experience, then counseling is exactly what they need to restore normalcy into their lives again. The counseling sessions will help you understand how nursing home neglect and abuse can affect your mental health, as well as the practical actions that need to be taken in order to prevent this from happening again.
Nursing home neglect and abuse can be very serious so you have to know what to do. Make sure to document everything however you can and keep a diary where you write everything down. Report to the police and get an attorney who will help you with the lawsuit. It’s important to make sure there was no permanent psychological damage so bring the victim to evaluation and get them into counseling. This is the best way to get compensated for the behavior of the nursing home!