Federal courts with guidelines for rest homes to follow.
However, like most other laws that were written
to protect peoples rights, they are not enforced!
Some Laws, and Facts!
"Below is one study I came across"
Federal
and State laws require that nursing homes
develop
a plan of care and employ sufficient
staffing
to
provide All the
care listed on the care plan.
"However"
Because
most nursing homes today are
Corporate
Owned,
they
are not sufficiently staffed,
and can not
provide
All
the care listed on the care plan!
Consequently,
residents are not taken to the toilet when
necessary,
they are often left lying in urine and feces,
develop
painful and life threatening pressure sores,
are
not fed properly, are not given sufficient fluids,
are
over-medicated or under-medicated, are dropped
causing
painful bruises and fractures, are not cleaned
or
groomed, are ignored and not included in activities,
are
left in bed all day, not turned, call lights are not
answered
promptly, or not at all...
"Below
is a second study I found"
With
over 1.5 million elderly and dependent adults
now
living in nursing homes throughout the country,
abuse
and neglect has become a widespread problem.
Even
though some nursing homes provide good care,
many
(far too many) are subjecting helpless residents to
needless
suffering and death. Most residents in nursing
homes
are dependent on the staff for most or all their
needs such as food, water,
medicine, toileting, grooming,
stimulation and turning
- almost all their daily care.
Unfortunately, many residents
in nursing homes today
are starved, dehydrated,
over-medicated, and suffer
painful pressure sores.
They are often isolated, ignored
and deprived of social
contact and stimulation.
Because of insufficient
and poorly trained staff commonly
found
in nursing homes, caused by
Corporate
owners, who are more concerned about
their
bottom line, than the care they should be providing!
The
staff in these nursing homes are often overworked,
and
grossly underpaid, that often results in
rude
and abusive behavior to vulnerable residents!
"Beware"
Before
placing a loved one in a nursing home.
The
looks of the facilities,
and
the kindness of the staff,
when
viewed for the first time;
Can
be (and usually are)
Very
Deceiving
From what I have
personally seen, complaints
I have read, and people
I have talked to.
You should only consider
a rest home
as a last resort.
If you have no alternative,
then I
would suggest using some
cautionary measures.
# 1. "Do Not" take someone's word, on how nice a place is.
# 2. Talk to some of the residents that have been there awhile.
# 3. Ask if they would
have a problem with you showing up
to check on your loved
one at "Any Time"
If they do have a problem
with this, they are more then
likely trying to keep
you from seeing how the home
is being ran during off
hours. "Keep Looking"
#
4. Check for complaints filed against the rest
home
or any of there employees.
If you find a place you are confident in,
and
you place the person in there care,
be
sure to watch for:
sudden
changes in attitude, health,
energy
or weight loss.
Keep
track of medications they are receiving.
And
continue regular check-ups with there
own
physicians they are used to.
We need to remember when making
our decisions for a loved
one,
That someday, someone
might
have to make a decision
about us.
Like I said at the top of the page.
The laws
are
there to protect the elderly from the
types
of abuse you have just read about.
But
until there is a change in
"The
Law-Makers"
(At
Local, State, and Government level)
Our
laws to protect the rights of All,
will
be of no effect
Please sign my guest book below
This page last updated 2/21/2001