Safe Elder Care Solutions - Stop Nursing Home Abuse Before it Starts

Caring for an aging parent isn't easy. It can be even harder when mom or dad lives in a nursing home. For many families, the ideal situation is to avoid the cost and potential hazards of nursing homes by keeping loved ones safe in the family home. However, sometimes an elderly family member requires more skilled medical care than you can provide, and, as a result, you need to look for elder care solutions in a nursing facility.

But anyone who's seen the headlines knows that nursing home abuse is all too common. But you're not helpless when it comes to using nursing home elder care solutions. Here are four ways to prevent abuse if you're caring for an aging parent living in a nursing home.

Listen

Your ears should perk up each time your loved one complains about some aspect of their care. Even if Mom or Dad is... well... naturally cranky, that doesn't mean they don't have a reason to complain. Elder care solutions should include taking careful note of complaints. For example, is there a pattern to the complaints?

Be sure to listen to what's going on around your senior parent, too. Is his or her roommate always critical of the night nurse? Are the nurses caring for an aging parent gossiping about the new aide more than they're discussing patient care? Do the employees speak to your loved one with respect? By tuning in to what goes on in the facility, you can tune in to problems before they become issues of abuse or neglect.

Look

From odd bruises to unexplained weight loss, your own observations can tell you a lot about the care your parent is receiving. When using nursing homes as part of your family's elder care solutions, look for these warning signs:

o Untreated conditions, like bed sores

o Unsafe conditions, like a missing fire extinguisher or an exit door that's been propped open

o Mumbling or rocking behavior

o Visible signs that your loved one is afraid of a caregiver

And, although it can be tough to even think about it, part of your caring for aging parent strategy should include being on the lookout for signs of sexual abuse. These warning signals can include unusual bruises or injuries, changes in your loved one's behavior toward staff, or changes in the behavior of staff members caring for an aging parent.

Don't be lulled into a sense of security because the facility was spit-and-polished when you checked the facility out. As your loved one continues to live there, be sure those you've hired to help in caring for an aging parent continue to be as respectful to your mom or dad as the day you first visited the home.

Review

Part of your family's elder care solutions might include reviewing your loved one's chart. Make sure they're getting regular visits from qualified health care professionals as well as receiving the right medications at the right times. If you see something you don't understand, ask the person in charge of their care.

Ask

If you think something is wrong, don't hesitate to ask for outside help in caring for an aging parent. For example, hire a registered nurse experienced in elder care solutions to review charts and make sure your loved one's care is being handled properly. In addition, most counties have an agency on aging that offers services that help those caring for an aging parent. Finally, if you think your loved one is being abused, contact local law enforcement.

Elder care solutions include ensuring your mom or dad can live a healthy life and receive the respect they deserve. Listen, look, review, and ask questions to protect one of the most important people in your life.

Assisted Living Marketing Should Be Driven by Strategic Care

The formula seems pretty simple for the business of assisted living. The senior population is growing, so the need for senior care is growing. All a company has to do is to offer that care and they will have a growing (and successful) business. If only it were that simple.

Caring is actually a necessary part of success in assisted living, and all forms of senior care for that matter. However, just because a company offers good (or even great) care does not mean people will find them, then trust them enough to make a commitment and move in. That is where "Strategic Care" plays a critical role.

Strategic Care allows for the right people to recognize that a company really does care and helps those consumers to place the highest value on that expertise. It drives the 3 R's of assisted living marketing - Recognize, Remember and Rave about the company...and the care. It creates trust and motivates "move-in" decision-making. It leads to an increase in census and profitability.

This concept is not that difficult to execute. It just takes a business culture that allows, encourages and trains staff members to tie their actions to a desired business/marketing result, along with the desired care result. And this innovative approach can easily be integrated into various areas of the assisted living business that touch the consumer.

• Face-to-face meetings.


• Systems of operations.


• Collateral materials.


• Advertising and PR.


• Community outreach.


• And even websites.

The Progression From Mediocre To Great Marketing

Here's an example of how an everyday, polite occurrence (sometimes requirement) can be turned into a Strategic Care marketing tool that places high value right into the hands of the consumer.

So many times I have heard "This is our Activity Director, Maria" or something similar when being toured through an assisted living facility. It is polite and it accomplishes a caring function - an introduction. However, it misses an opportunity to communicate higher value, which is a key element of Strategic Care. So the function is completed, while the marketing is mediocre at most.

To add some Strategic Care, that same person could say "Here comes the Game Guru." (Maria will be encouraged to respond in a favorable way.) "I'd like you to meet Maria, our Activity Director. She has an amazing knack for helping seniors with cognitive problems to enjoy playing games."

In this case, value has been placed on Maria as a person. Plus, the fact that the issue of cognitive problems was mentioned will also add recognition and value to the services being offered, in this case Activities. Of course, this would work best when speaking with someone who has a loved one with dementia (the "right people" mentioned in the definition of Strategic Care above.)

This simple change creates much better marketing and positioning. Yet it can be taken to a higher level. The emotional introduction can be enhanced by adding a (true) story which includes more value, along with evidence of care being provided. "Maria always gets embarrassed when I brag about her, but Resident Bob's family thinks she is a magician. When Bob came to us, he wasn't very social. It took patience, but Maria allowed him to stay in his comfort zone and just watch everyone else have fun. Then, little by little, she helped him increase that zone. Now he's one of the first people to line up to play. I think your Mom and Maria will be best friends."

By incorporating a supporting story, more value was placed on Maria as a humble person and on her professional expertise. In addition, the value placed on her by other people was also included - an endorsement or testimonial. To take it even another step further, technology can add more power to this Strategic Care. For instance, "If you want, I can print you a photo of the Game Guru in action, so your Mom can become familiar with seeing her face before making the move to Oak Tree Assisted Living. Or, I can e-mail the photo, if that is convenient for you."

Drive A "Nice" Increase In Business

In the end, a "simple" introduction turns into a marketing and positioning bonanza that provides lots more value to the assisted living consumer, which can help to ease some of the pressure in their decision-making process. Look at all that is accomplished in this example.

• Shared kindness, as well as a feeling of inclusion to a visitor.


• Provided evidence of expertise in senior and dementia care.


• Demonstrated a willingness to serve and to go the extra mile.


• Provided an endorsement of the consumer's peers.


• Showed an understanding of the transition process a senior with dementia will most likely go through.


• Made the employee feel special and motivated them to continue to take great care of their residents.

Too simple to be this rewarding? Isn't this just being nice and caring for others? Absolutely! However, when care is combined with strategy, it becomes innovative marketing and very good business. When Strategic Care is incorporated into the selling process, communications mediums and business culture of assisted living companies, this powerful concept will increase sales.

Leaders We Can Fix This

Like every beginner, I have thought you could beat, pummel and thrash an idea into existence. Under such treatment, of course, any decent idea folds up its paws, turns on its back, fixes its eyes on eternity, and dies.

- Ray Bradbury

This is a key rule; create a contract with your subordinate that simply says: Your subordinates get the credit when things go well and you will take all the blame when things go wrong. The main reason subordinates will not take risks is that they are hung out to dry when things go wrong or someone else takes the credit when things go right.

To help your subordinates develop their leadership skills to the fullest potential you must delegate duties and assignments in greater degrees of complexity. Leaders are developed best through experiential projects or assignments rather than textbooks and manuals. As each new assignment is completed on time, but perhaps not perfectly, the level of difficulty must be increased. By adopting this tactic you are communicating the message clearly that your trainee is expected to perform at a high level of effectiveness and manage his or her time wisely. Your subordinate must take risks in order to satisfactorily meet your requirements.

The first step is to clearly outline what the assignment is and its corresponding time constraints, resources available, which by the way includes you, and what the expected outcome is to determine if the assignment is to be considered a success. Don't forget to allow time for questions. Provide a brief overview of why the assignment is important. Also include who, what and where the most likely areas of support and challenges will come from. Establish a schedule of meetings to monitor progress. These meetings should be brief, no longer than fifteen minutes. Now that you have set your subordinates up for success cut them loose and let them get to it.

There are two things that happen when subordinates take risks; one is good and the other is not. However, both results have a tremendous impact on the willingness of your leader in-training to take future risks. The first is the assignment goes well, it is completed satisfactorily and on time. You must make a public acknowledgement of the accomplishment and make sure that he or she gets the credit for a successful outcome.

The second result is that the assignment does not go well or is completed after the deadline. There may be a number of valid reasons why the outcome was not what was required. Conduct an after action review to learn what when wrong and how this result can be prevented in the future. This process will contribute to the learning experience.

You must be the person to stop this practice. Simply approach your subordinate and say "We can fix this," then begin to assist your subordinate in taking the necessary steps to correct the assignment and give practical guidance to prevent a recurrence. If you follow this process faithfully your subordinates will continue to take on more challenging assignments and risks.

This practice demonstrates that you mean what you say, you are a person of character, you are making allowances for their professional development experience and you are not going to deliberately let them fail. The result of this process is that you will have an extremely loyal and competent staff whose performances will far exceed those of their contemporaries. Your reputation will spread throughout the organization as a leader's leader who trains the future leaders of the organization.

Remember when you adopt the practice of "We can fix this" you turn success into a given when your subordinates are assigned a task.

If you are experiencing fear about deciding to be a leader, laugh your fears away by following this simple plan.

Ailments and Diseases That Require Elderly Care Services

As our loved ones begin to age, they unfortunately succumb to more diseases, ailments, and disorders. Luckily, some can be easily managed with medication or simple surgery. But when is it time to move the elderly into nursing homes or senior assisted living houses? While a doctor may be better suited to answer this question, you can expect that the following diseases will most likely require outside help.

Alzheimer's and dementia are two very common illnesses that affect the elderly and as the diseases progress, the patient's condition deteriorates. Alzheimer's attacks the brain and affects one's memory, thinking, and behavior. How fast the disease progresses varies from person to person. Those over the age of 60 are more likely to develop Alzheimer's or dementia and they live about 8-10 years after the diagnosis. At first there are only simple memory problems, but as the disease worsens, one will suffer from confusion, forget who people are, and have trouble with simple tasks, speech, and writing. It is only a matter of time before the person will require elderly care services.

Parkinson's disease is typically well treated with medication and often times people do not suffer severely from it. However, like any disease, it can worsen over time and one may need more than just medication. Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that causes the brain's neurons to degenerate over time. Symptoms include tremors, slow movements, the inability to move, and rigid limbs. If medication is not helping, the person will have a much harder time performing daily tasks. In late stages of the disease, the person can have severe tremors, problems with balance, difficulty swallowing, and confusion. One would not be able to take proper care of himself and would be best living in nursing homes or having a home aide.

Another neurological disease that will definitely require elderly care services is ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease affects both the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal chord. Motor neurons are what allow you to move your muscles and limbs, but as the disease progresses, the person will lose motor function. Eventually, the person will become paralyzed and therefore won't be able to do anything for himself. Most people with the disease only live for about 3 to 5 years after diagnosis.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in America today and can affect people of all ages. However, as you begin to age, your risk of developing cancer does increase. There are over 100 types of cancer and they can range in severity. Treatment methods include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Depending on the cancer and how far along it has progressed, one might benefit from home aides or assisted living. Sometimes this can be a temporary solution after an intense surgery.

These are just a few of many diseases that may require assistance. If you feel that your loved ones are having difficulties living on their own, seek out elderly care facilities in your area.

Nursing Home Abuse: More Than Just Physical Violence

In the twilight of life, due to a deteriorating health, it often becomes necessary that more consistent and steady care and attention is given. While many would love to supply this to their loved ones once they reach this stage in their life, work schedules and the demands of modern living can often make it impossible. When this occurs, for many, nursing home facilities can provide the answer that is required.

Many nursing homes are reputable and trustworthy places in which loved ones in their golden years can receive experienced medical attention, companionship and care to ensure their continuing health and well-being. Unfortunately, this level of care does not extend to every single facility.

In fact, many fall short of the promise that they make and can deteriorate to being downright abusive. They can be a hotbed of elder abuse, leaving their victims to suffer from such things as contusions, lacerations, and other wounds from assault and physical attacks. This violence can also extend to being confined and being physically restricted.

Does nursing home abuse only incorporate physical violence? Actually, not at all. While this is the most prominent form of abuse and the one that is most easily seen, there are several other forms of abuse that can cause just as much, if not more pain in the lives of the victim.

Emotional abuse is extremely damaging to the victim. This can be manifested in the forms of threatening, intimidating, humiliating and using the victim as a scapegoat, and also can be seen in isolating, ignoring and neglecting the victim. The damages sustained from acts of this type are devastating; many of the elderly are no longer capable of standing up for themselves and end up suffering in silence.

Another form of abuse is that of sexual abuse. Personnel and staff in the nursing home can use their position of power in a way that leaves their patients completely vulnerable. Any form of contact with the patients that was not explicitly consented to can be boiled down to sexual abuse. This can be sexual acts committed upon the victim or forcing them to commit the sexual actions. It can also be something such as forcing them to watch pornographic material.

If you suspect that your loved has recently been the victim of such abuse, and you have begun to notice some telltale warning signs, you should not waste another moment. Regardless of whether they are suffering physical violence, emotional trauma, sexual abuse or even if their finances are being exploited, a personal injury lawyer should be contacted immediately.

Steps can be taken to hold the responsible parties liable for their actions and claims can be filed to fight for the just and deserved compensation. Damages that have been sustained should not be suffered without relief. No matter if you are fighting for compensation to cover medical treatment for injuries incurred, if you are looking to compensation for the pain and suffering, or even if you are looking to cover funeral costs in a wrongful death case, the legal assistance of an injury attorney is a priceless asset that should not be ignored. The sooner that you receive the legal aid of a knowledgeable lawyer, the sooner steps can be taken to seek a successful resolution of the case.

Recognizing and Preventing Nursing Home Neglect

When our elderly friends and loved ones lose the ability to take care of themselves, we often do not have time to provide the loving care and attention that they need. Thus, many people turn to nursing homes and assisted living facilities as an alternative to home care. These facilities can be beneficial in providing a community for the elderly, but they can also become dangerous places if the staff neglects the residents.

While nursing home abuse is characterized by the staff going out of their way to physically, emotionally, and even financially torture the residents, neglect consists of the opposite. Residents who are neglected are ignored, and their needs go unrecognized and untreated. Sadly, the reason why most elderly are in assisted living in the first place is because they are unable to provide these needs for themselves. Thus, neglect can turn into life-threatening torment because residents may not be able to provide food and water for themselves.

Additionally, elderly neglect can also be financial abandonment. Older people at nursing homes are typically unable to work for themselves, which means that they may not have a steady source of income to pay for living in the facility. If a person agrees to pay for the assisted living, then refuses to do so, this can count as elderly neglect.

When an elderly person is neglected, he or she is restricted from access to life necessities. This can include food, water, shelter, safety, medical care, and clothing. Also, elderly often rely on other people to help them maintain their personal hygiene. Older people with mobility issues may not be able to get themselves out of bed, which keeps them from getting to the toilet. If nursing home attendants refuse to help the residents in and out of bed to go to the bathroom, they may be left laying in their own excrement. As gross as this sounds, it is also a safety issue since feces can carry diseases.

Other signs of nursing home neglect include:

Malnutrition

Dehydration

Bed sores

Unsafe living conditions

Presence of dirt, fleas, lice, etc.

Infections

Untreated illness

To help keep your loved ones safe, you should check out several different nursing homes before you settle on an assisted living center. Try to take tours of all of the facilities, and interview mentally capable residents about their experience there. Also, be sure to visit your elderly person regularly to check and see if they are being treated properly.

Sadly, nursing home abuse is all too real. If you or someone you love has been mistreated by nursing home attendants, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer today about your rights. For more information, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at the firm of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C., today.

Nursing Homes Prison 101, Part Four in a Serious Series About Rehab & Care Centers & Nursing Homes

One day, while visiting in a bad rehab and care center, I saw a woman in a wheelchair. She was complaining to someone (Staff) that she was missing clothing. As usual, staff said that she had to wait (because they were busy), and then they would have to go downstairs to see where her clothing was.

The woman waited, in fact, the woman stated that her clothing had been missing for more than one week, so figure that must be enough waiting, correct? Anyway, time passed and passed and the woman again came back to staff and complained about her clothing but bottom line is that no one went downstairs to get her clothing.

I have a theory here that is probably an explanation of why everyone must wait for clothing and why so much clothing is lost in BAD rehab and care centers. It is a vicious cycle. The staff loses the clothing or it is not returned from the laundry area. Since the clothing is lost, the residents are not dressed properly to go to therapy. Once they are not dressed for therapy, the staff refuses to let them attend therapy-even though it is staff's fault that no clothing is there.

Once they say they can 't go to therapy , the staff marks this down and they mark down that the patient is uncooperative. They mark down that the patient refuses therapy. BUT

HOWEVER, they neglect to mention that staff has taken all clothing out of their room and they cannot attend therapy due to lack of clothing.

It is a cycle that harms patients and staff, because as the staff is permitted to do this, they gain bad reputations. Do you live or temporarily reside in a rehabilitation and care center or nursing home that keeps losing your clothes? DO they leave the clothing out of your room so that you cannot get dressed if you wanted to? You need to write to us and we will do our best to find out whom to complain to and how to get your clothing back.

I saw more than four or five people who were missing clothing, and in fact, one resident was wearing my relative's clothing. If you look around, you will see the residents wearing each others' clothing.

The day that I arrived to find a relative in diapers and no clothing, the staff scrambled to find clothing for the relative and the only clothing they found belonged to someone else.

Missing clothing (lots of it, and many patients missing clothing) is a LARGE RED FLAG! What I have noticed is that in the worst nursing homes and rehabilitation and care centers, they can not keep track of clothing (or people). If your place is losing all your clothing it is for one or two reasons and here they are:

1. IF the staff has an agenda to keep residents and patients in their rooms, instead of allowing them out of their rooms for therapy and other events, the staff will "lose" the residents' clothing. For example, in one place, the staff member wanted the patient to remain in diapers instead of using the bathroom, so the staff LOST all the person's pants (conveniently-not the tops but just the pants). What this does is it makes the patient worried about wetting a pair of pants --since their pants are LOST, and it makes them compliant when the staff politely demands that they wear diapers. In some places, some staff members want the patients in diapers even when some do not medically need diapers. The way they get the patients to comply with their diaper demand is by losing the patient's pants. If you see that your relatives' pants are always missing, you need to put it in writing to the attention of an Administrator or your lawyer--either one might work.

2. If clothing is missing (because staff claims that other residents are stealing it), then this is a LARGE RED FLAG, because what is says is , hey, the staff does not know where their residents are all the time. How can residents be missing in other residents' rooms to steal other people's clothing? If staff claims that other residents are stealing the clothing, you should bring it to their attention that if the staff is permitting other residents to STEAL, then what happens when those thieves become violent? In other words, if a resident is left Unattended long enough to steal, then can't that resident become violent while they are missing long enough to steal? So if residents are stealing from other residents, then this nursing home or rehabilitation and care center is NOT a good place for your relatives to live or temporarily reside.

Think those two things over and you will realize those are plain simple facts.

When clothing is missing, this is a BIG RED FLAG!