What Families Can Do to Help
There are several ways families can help ensure their loved ones receive the attention and treatment they need.
The North Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers from Henson Fuerst suggest that you:
- Visit as often as possible.
To make sure your loved one is receiving proper care, it’s important to visit his or her residence facility as often as possible. - Participate in care planning meetings.
Family members and legal caretakers have the right to participate in care planning meetings. We suggest taking advantage of this right, and participating in your loved one’s scheduled care planning meetings. - Keep a journal.
Take detailed notes on facility conditions and changes. Be as specific as possible—document the dialogue between staff and family members, the names of those involved in the conflict and the dates when the incidents occurred. - Report problems.
If you notice any signs or symptoms of unusual treatment of your loved one or others in the long-term care facility, report the abuse right away. - If you suspect abuse or neglect, re-locate your loved one.
Our legal team has created a resource page to help you find a new long-term care facility for your family member. Choosing a new facility may take time, so make sure your loved one is re-located to at least a temporary place of safety while permanent relocation is being arranged. - If abuse or neglect occurs, contact a North Carolina nursing home abuse lawyer at Henson Fuerst.
It’s important to not only get the justice your family deserves for the mistreatment of a loved one, but to protect other nursing home residents from abuse. Our experienced North Carolina nursing home abuse attorneys can investigate the details surrounding the abuse and help put a stop to the mistreatment for all residents. Contact us anytime at (919) 781-1107 or complete a free initial consultation form.
Care Planning Meetings
A care planning meeting is a comprehensive needs assessment that is required for every long-term care resident. By law, an elderly care facility must develop a written care plan within the first seven days of a resident’s admission. The plan should be updated quarterly and each time the resident has a significant change in his or her condition.
A strong care plan should:
- address the resident’s needs and desires.
- allow the resident to thrive in the nursing home environment.
- assign tasks to specific staff members.
- be written in common language that the resident and his or her family members can understand.
- include specific goals.
- use a team approach involving a variety of staff and outside referrals as needed.
A comprehensive care plan takes time to develop and should not be rushed. The better a nursing staff understands the resident’s history, background, and expectations, the more detailed and individualized the care plan can be. Critical members of the nursing home team should be involved in the plan. These team members include:
- the resident,
- family,
- nursing staff,
- nutritionists or dietary directors,
- therapists,
- and anyone else who is regularly involved in the resident’s care.
Once a care plan is finalized, the resident and his or her family should recieve a copy. Review the plan often to make sure the nursing home facility is fulfilling their commitments to your loved one.
Resident and Family Rights
The North Carolina nursing home abuse lawyers at Henson Fuerst recommend participating in regular care planning meetings for your loved one. This way, you can make sure they are receiving proper care and social and physical needs are being met.
During a care planning meeting, a resident and his or her family have the right to:
- accept or refuse offered care.
- actively participate in the meeting.
- ask questions.
- give information.
- offer suggestions.
- review care plan documents.
If your loved one does not receive routine care planning meetings, contact a North Carolina nursing home abuse attorney from Henson Fuerst today by calling (919) 781-1107 or completing a free initial consultation form. We’ll stand up for your loved one’s rights.
