How can I keep my loved ones safe in a nursing home?
We have just finished the Thanksgiving holiday. Christmas and New Year's Day are right around the corner. During this holiday season, many people travel to see their loved ones. In fact, the news is reporting that more people plan to travel by car and by plane than ever before. Often, people see their loved ones during the holidays. Often, they see their loved ones who they don't see at other times because they don't live in the same city where their loved ones live. If you don't live in the same city where your loved one lives, but you'd like to make sure that they're safe, what can you do?
We recommend that you visit your loved one as often as you can. If you are in town for a period of time, we recommend that you visit your loved one at all different times of the day. Nursing homes don't have visiting hours. Nursing homes are the home of the resident. You can visit whenever you like. We strongly recommend that you visit at all different times. Go in the morning and see if they're getting your loved one out of bed at an appropriate time. Go during mealtimes and see if your loved one is being attended to. Go in the evening and see if your loved one is getting attention. Go in the middle of the day and see if your loved one is getting attention.
Nursing home residents need attention 24 hours a day. If your loved one is at risk for skin breakdown, they need to be turned and repositioned every 2 hours, 24 hours a day. This means all through the day. This means all through the night. This means first thing in the morning. This means in the afternoon. This includes Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving – every two hours every day of the year. The only way to make sure this is happening is to visit your loved one at all times of the day.
You can also ask the nursing home if they're keeping a record of how often they are turning and/or repositioning your loved one. Almost all nursing homes have the ability to document every single time they turn and reposition the resident. However, a lot of nursing homes don't take advantage of that ability. Most nursing homes use Point Click Care, which is the most popular software for electronic medical records. Point Click Care has an absolute ability to generate a chart, whereby every time a nurse's aide turns and repositions somebody, they document that they have turned and repositioned that person. However, many nursing homes use a chart where a nurse makes a notation once for the entire shift that your loved one was turned and repositioned. The nurse is usually not the person turning and repositioning your loved one. Usually, it's done by the aides. And yet, often the charting is set up so that the nurse is doing the charting, not the aides who are actually doing the turning and repositioning. When you visit your loved one, you should absolutely ask to see documentation of your loved one being turned and repositioned.
If your loved one is a fall risk, you want to visit at all different times and make sure your loved one is receiving attention. One of the best ways to prevent falls is to anticipate the needs of your loved one. Ask if your loved one is on a toileting schedule. If they can anticipate your loved one's needs to go to the bathroom, they can take your loved one to the bathroom and thereby avoid your loved one getting up unattended and trying to go to the bathroom.
Does your family member have unexplained bruises or other injuries? Do they appear as if they are losing weight? Do they need assistance with eating. Visit them during mealtimes. Visit them unannounced when they're supposed to be in the dining room. We see many cases where people need extensive assistance with eating; however, the nursing home doesn't help them with eating, they simply drop their tray off and leave it in their room. This is not effective for somebody who needs help with eating. Is your loved one losing weight? If they are, ask to see the documentation of what percentage of each meal they are consuming. Nursing homes have all kinds of opportunities to maintain proper nutrition for your loved one. They should monitor your loved one's intake for every meal. They should weigh them regularly. They can give them supplements like Ensure or Boost. They can do a variety of things to maintain their nutrition.
Does your loved one have skin breakdown? This can be very challenging. Often, children are reluctant to inspect the bodies of their parents. They're particularly reluctant to check their coccyx or sacral area. However, this is the most common place for skin breakdown. If your loved one can communicate with you, you can ask them if they have any pain or discomfort. However, if they suffer from dementia or other challenges, and they can't communicate with you, you need to inspect their body or ask the nurse to inspect their body to make sure they have no skin breakdown.
Where do you find your loved one? Do you come visit your loved one in late morning, and they're still in bed? Do you come to visit them in the afternoon, and they've been in a chair for an extended period of time. When you visit with your loved one, does a member of the staff come in and check on them periodically? If you push the call light, does someone respond promptly?
The best way to keep your loved one safe is to visit often, check on their condition, and ask questions.
If someone you love has been neglected or abused in a nursing home, please call us at The Dickson Firm at 1-800-OHIO LAW, as we would be happy to talk with you at any time and help you in any way that we can. We wish you and your family Happy Holidays and a Happy Healthy New Year.