Nursing Home Neglect - What to Do if You Suspect Negligence in a Nursing Home

Sadly, nursing home neglect is not uncommon. Even the best nursing homes can hire someone who shouldn't be caring for patients, while other nursing homes don't provide or expect the appropriate training for their care attendants. Learning to recognize the signs of neglect...and then doing something about it...is essential if you want to protect your family members.

Because many nursing home patients cannot communicate, you need to be able to recognize the symptoms of neglect, including both physical and medical neglect.

One of the most obvious signs of nursing home neglect is a failure for care providers to assist in personal hygiene, including unsanitary or unclean conditions. If you would not want to live in the conditions you find your family member in, you need to make a complaint and let the nursing home management know that the conditions you see are not acceptable.

If your family member is not bedridden, you also need to make sure they are protected from health and safety hazards. As an example, if they have a mobility problem, there should not only be grab bars in the bathroom, but also assistive devices to help them get out of bed, out of their chair, and so forth.

Sometimes neglect is harder to detect. For example, your family member may have developed bedsores. In almost all cases, bedsores can be prevented by frequently turning the patient, and you should be concerned if your family member develops bedsores. On the other hand, sometimes bedsores occur, no matter how conscientious the caretaker.

As a result, in addition to noting how often your family member is moved to a new position, look for other things such as dehydration or wet diapers...these are indicators of neglect.

Obviously, if you are concerned about the care your family member is receiving, you can talk to the doctor in charge. However, do not get caught up in the "a doctor is a god" routine. If you are concerned about the care your family member is receiving and the doctor dismisses your concerns without giving you reasonable explanations, do not accept that. Medical neglect is no better than physical neglect...indeed, it can be worse...and poor access to decent medical services is simply not acceptable.

Should you suspect nursing home neglect of any sort, approach the nursing home administration first and express your concerns and your expectations for improvement. Should you see no improvement after having done so, then report the neglect. After all, it is a violation of both state and federal law to neglect a nursing home patient.

Reports can be made to the state health department, your state or local ombudsman for nursing home care, law enforcement, adult protective services, or a nursing home advocacy group.

Why Does Shaken Baby Syndrome Occur?

Though caring for a child can be an enjoyable and exciting opportunity, it can also be stressful and demanding. Especially if a person is not experienced or aware of how a child may respond to different situations, frustration can easily mount. In fact, inappropriate response to inconsolable crying is the leading cause of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Shaken Baby Syndrome is a dangerous form of child abuse that occurs when a child is held by their head, shoulders or feet and shaken violently. This type of action can result in traumatic brain injuries that can cause permanent damage and even fatal conditions in children. SBS is often a triggered reaction to frustration and is never an acceptable manner for interacting with or disciplining a child.

Shaken Baby Syndrome most often occurs in children under 4 months of age who are developing their natural ability to communicate through crying. Unfortunately, cases involving SBS do occur in childcare facilities when one caretaker is responsible for multiple children. A caretaker may feel overwhelmed by his or her responsibility and as such, is triggered to respond in an abusive manner.

Shaken Baby Syndrome, like any form of child abuse, is a serious offense with serious consequences and needs to be taken seriously. This action is preventable and part of effective prevention is ensuring that culpable parties are charged to the fullest extent of the law. This type of behavior is dangerous and not acceptable in any circumstance.

Family Assisted Living - A Home Away From Home

Family assisted living is called so, because your dear ones stay in a family-like atmosphere, while getting help with the problems they face in their day-to day life. The administrative staff of the assisted, living service stays in close contact with the residents and takes care of their individual needs.

Assisted Living Vs. Other Old Home Facilities

Assisted living is usually a preferred choice of residence for senior citizens, as compared to other live-in facilities such as a nursing home or old care home. While a nursing home is more suitable for people with medical complications, old care homes are very small set-ups with very few residents and limited amenities.

Most old age challenges do not require medical intervention but only physical support, with a large number of recreational and daily living amenities, which only Family assisted-living can provide. Such facilities give importance to self-sufficiency and privacy and offer little or no medical care. The may have some or all of the following features: emergency call, housekeeping, all meals, transport on call, day centers, health centre, year round workshops, activities, events etc.

Taking Special Care

There are many disorders associated with old age. Coupled with old age problems, these disorders can make matters worse for the elderly and their families. Several family assisted, living units have unique facilities for individual with special needs. They provide care to patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cognitive disabilities and terminal diseases.

Before, finalizing on a particular family assisted living, check for the following:

o That the neighborhood is planned in accordance with the needs of the residents.
o That the staff is pleasing and responsible.
o That the residents look to be satisfied with the services and friendly with each other.
o That the cost and charges are within your expectations and financial reach.
o That the meals are hygienic, nourishing, and appealing.
o That the atmosphere is like a family.
o That the staff is well trained, qualified and skilled to deal with the needs of the elders.
o And most importantly, all the facilities and services as promised by the community are available.

Making The Move

The main factors that influence the decision with regard to the choice of assisted-living facility are: location, type of facility and particular needs of the resident such as leisure facilities, nutritional needs etc.
The period of 25-30 days after moving your dear ones to family assisted, living, is very crucial for both you and them. You may suffer from a feeling of guilt for not being able to look after your dear ones on our own. The old relatives, on the other hand, will take some time to adjust to the new environment and may not feel comfortable, being away from home.

5 Ways to Detect Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

While some acts of nursing home abuse are blatantly obvious (such as a loved one kept in an over medicated state for no reason), others are more subtle and may be overlooked by family or friends. If your loved one displays the following characteristics while residing in a nursing home facility, chances are he/she has been the victim of abuse.

1. Bedsores or Open Wounds- Nursing homes often insist that bedsores are natural and to be expected among frail or immobile residents. Sadly, many families believe this lie and watch helplessly as their loved one experiences pain and sometimes fatal complications as a result of these sores. The truth is that 99% of bedsore cases are the result of abuse and negligence. Nursing homes have strict guidelines that require them to move patients every 2-3 hours and keep their sheets/ garments dry to prevent moisture from irritating the skin. If your loved one has a bedsore, it is likely that this regiment was not followed by the staff. Upon detection of a bedsore, family members should insist that he/she is moved to a medical facility for treatment and contact an attorney to discuss your rights against the nursing home.


2. Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns or fractures- While it is true that accidents may happen among weak and frail nursing home residents, families should be suspicious of any injury sustained at the facility. Sometimes residents are dropped or abused while in a medicated state and therefore do not remember what happened to them. Family members should not be afraid to ask questions about the situation. If the nurse or aid seems to hesitate or offer a vague explanation, chances are your loved one is being mistreated or neglected by the staff.


3. Torn, Bloody or Stained Garments- If you notice torn, bloody or stained clothes, there is a good chance that your loved one has been the victim of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is prevalent in nursing homes, especially among residents who are heavily medicated or have short-term memory problems. Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections are other signs of sexual abuse. Again, if you are not given a satisfactory reason for torn or stained garments or what seems to be a genital infection, remove your loved one from the facility immediately and report your suspicions to local authorities.


4. Refusal or Delays to Visit the Resident- Family members should be immediately suspicious if the nursing home staff stalls before allowing a visit or openly denies a spontaneous visit in the absence of a medical reason. Family members should also be suspicious of any nursing home that will not allow the resident to have a private visit with a family member. This is a way to intimidate or prevent the resident from reporting the staff for any abuse or neglect that they have experienced.


5. Abrupt changes in the resident's financial documents or will- While a resident has the right to amend personal documents, family members should be suspicious if these changes happen abruptly or if the resident does not remember making such changes. The resident may have been coerced into changing the documents or giving out account numbers while under the influence of medication or after threats of physical harm.

If your loved one has displayed any of the warning signs listed above, you must act immediately to ensure the situation does not get worse. In the case of neglect, call every three hours to make sure the resident has been moved, groomed, bathed, etc. If you suspect sexual or physical abuse, consider moving the resident to a different facility. On the other hand, if you know for a fact that such abuse is taking place, move the resident immediately and contact an attorney to file suit against the abusive staff member and nursing home facility.

Most importantly, get involved in your loved one's treatment and daily care. Family members make the best advocates for nursing home residents. When family members visit often and ask questions, staff members will be hesitant to engage in abusive activities or provide substandard care. Residents have rights, and involved family members will ensure that those rights are not violated by predators or careless staff.

Why Consumers Buy - The Cultural Factors That Affect Buyer Behavior

It is imperative that marketing messages strike a chord with their intended targets.  Doing so is made easier by thinking about the influences of buyer behavior - culture, society, individuality, and psychology.  Of these four influencers, the cultural influence is the strongest; if you intend to attract and keep clients of the highest quality, you will benefit from understanding how cultures, subcultures, and social class affects buying decisions.  

Culture

Culture is the single largest factor in shaping desires and thus behavior.  As a child grows up the culture in which he lives impresses his mind with a general set of values and preferences.  According to Leon Schiffman and Leslie Kanuk in their book Consumer Behavior, American children receive the following values: achievement and success, activity, efficiency and practicality, progress, material comfort, individualism, freedom, external comfort, humanitarianism, and youthfulness.  Much of these values are taught in the American school system - both public and private - where children spend a majority of their waking hours.  

Subculture

Each culture consists of smaller subcultures that include nationality, religion, and geographic regions.  The subculture often reinforces the values instilled by the culture at large.  For instance, children are taught in the culture, either deliberately or covertly, that youthfulness is a higher value than old age.  When they enter their subculture (in this case their general neighborhood) and compare their quality of life to the quality of life in the local nursing home, the value of youthfulness is reinforced.  This is a general example; I am not using it to make a statement of any kind against nursing homes.  I am only making the point that Americans clearly value youthfulness.  

When subcultures gain power and wealth, companies customize marketing messages and campaigns to serve them.  This is known as diversity marketing, and has proven to be an effective marketing strategy.  Think about the consequences of a group of consumers who feel ignored by your message.  They may fit your definition of a dream client, but if your campaign ignores the subculture they identify themselves with, the message will fall on deaf ears.  

Social Class

Almost all societies have a social class system.  The clearest example of this is in the Indian caste system where members of different castes are brought up and trained for specific roles within society.  Americans experience a class system, from lower to upper class and all the levels in between.  Each class is defined by a shared set of values and behavior.  Class is not defined solely by wealth.  Other factors include occupation, education, and values.  Unlike in India, Americans may move up and down class systems throughout the course of their lifetime.  

The application for marketers and salespeople is that your target market demands some sort of customization in your marketing message.  Your communication needs to be tailored to your target market at least to some extent.  Budget demands will always limit the amount of customization any company can afford, so carefully select the images and verbiage of your marketing materials and your sales presentations to have the maximum impact within your market.  

Care Options For Seniors After They Have Experience a Stroke

Seeing a love-one or close friend after they have suffered a stroke can prove intense. It's likely that you play a deciding role in how the elder receives care right away and further down the line. In the beginning, it may prove difficult to predict if the elder can return home or to a home-like setting. If they can, their ability to care for themselves will be in doubt. The need for assistance will be a genuine certainty. All this equates to a serious lifestyle shift. Quite often, these can lead to heightened emotions for the elder and those involved. Read on for a look at care options worth considering if some you know has become disabled due to stroke.

If a stroke victim can return to their house, home care aides provide care at an affordable cost. In fact, they typically offer less expensive care compared to other alternatives. Common roles include cleaning and doing laundry, assistance with bathing and grooming, plus they often help with medication as well as measuring vital signs. A home nurse is another possibility you may want to consider. They provide a higher level of care but at a heftier pay rate.

For a lot of people, work and family obligations can make caring for a love-one at home full-time flat-out impossible. Still, you'd like to keep them at home at least part time. If you find yourself between a rock and a hard spot like this, then you may want to consider an option like adult day care or a senior respite center. These provide care for elders recovering from a variety of setbacks, and offer personal care, therapy, and pastimes like arts and crafts. An adult day care center lets you tend to your responsibilities during the day or take a needed break from the demands of elder care. In the evening or otherwise suitable time, your loved one returns home with you. Quite possibly, an adult day care facility can deliver the ideal mix of personal care and urge to remain home.

Not everyone will have the good fortunate to receive home care after suffering a stroke. In this event, you may have to look at placing your parent or loved-one in a care facility on a permanent or part-time basis. An assisted living facility can offer a more affordable option for the senior capable of remaining semi-independent. Assistance often arrives in the form of meal preparation, cleaning, laundry, bathing, grooming, and dispensing medication. More than likely, you won't have on-site medical help at assisted living facilities. Residential care facilities offer a similar makeup, but the residents receive closer supervision and living style is more communal. Sometimes a nursing home offers the practical option if the stroke is a heavy one. Unlike an assisted-living facility, a nursing home provides skilled medical support 24/7. The care provided is more personal and more intense. Many stroke victims will experience changing conditions, for better or worse, in which case a continuing-care community may prove beneficial. Continuing-care facilities provide every type of care, from assisted living to full nursing within a single compound. This eliminates the need to move from one care facility to the next.

What Makes Assisted Living Facilities Perfect for Seniors?

Aging people who need extra assistance and care can opt for assisted living facilities. These facilities perfectly suit those who need additional support in carrying out their daily living activities like bathing and eating but can still enjoy their independence. Although it is hard for family members to let their elderly loved ones move to facilities, they should be strong and accept this because this is the best option the seniors have.

Assisted living actually offers a lot of benefits and advantages to seniors and one is to live normally and enjoy their freedom. Unlike in other facilities like nursing homes, they can live independently and do their own thing as if they're in the comfort of their own homes when they opt for assisted living. This is perfect for senior who are still self-sufficient and only needs minimal assistance in carrying out their daily activities.

In case of emergencies, rest assured the elderly can get optimum medical attention since living in assisted facilities entitles them to variety of health care and not just limited to personal care. These facilities have medical professionals who are always on duty and they are affiliated to quite a number of hospitals. Seniors will surely enjoy their stay in these facilities rather than stay in nursing homes that are known to have dull environment. However, this is only suitable for aging people who don't have chronic illness and don't require constant health care.

Seniors can also enjoy their privacy and living in a more peaceful environment since assisted living facilities only accept a limited number of residents. This means the community is just small and hence there's a great chance that relationships with fellow residents will develop easily. They will also feel more comfortable in these facilities because they'll be staying in traditional homes, which give off a homey feeling. In relation to that, their transition from living with their relatives to moving to facilities since the environment is similar to their homes.

There will always come a time that seniors will feel a bit blue and that's one of the reasons why these facilities only accept limited number of senior residents. The environment in these facilities encourages them to interact with fellow elderly and participate in activities. These activities are done on a regular basis so that the residents can keep their loneliness at bay and develop a strong bond with people they socialize with often.

These facilities are very organized and follow an effective strategy that satisfies the needs of seniors. The extra support and care that every senior receives is different from other residents. This is due to the fact that the needs of elderly vary and in order to provide them with the assistance they need, these facilities offer personalized senior care to their residents.

By means of assisted living facilities, seniors can finally enjoy living in a community that allows them to practice their freedom and at the same time receive assistance in their daily duties. Even if they're receiving extra assistance, they can still do their personal interests, socialize and live a normal life.