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If you are in college, there is a good chance that your parents and grandparents are getting older. As your grandparents continue to age, your family may be thinking about putting your grandmother or grandfather in a nursing home. You may be concerned that you might not be able to take care of your grandparent in a nursing home or protect him or her. Even though your family would probably prefer to take care of your grandparent at home, your grandparent may have medical complications that cannot be managed without an expert facility. Sadly, nursing home abuse is also common. How can you protect your grandparent if he or she is in a nursing home?
Watch for the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse Carefully
It is important for you to understand the science of nursing home abuse. Unfortunately, according to Matt Lalande, “While many nursing homes do provide excellent care, far too many do not. Many Nursing Home and Long-Term Care patients reportedly suffer from nursing home abuse, physical and emotional abuse, financial exploitation and serious neglect.”
Your elderly family member may not be able to adequately defend himself or herself. He or she may not even understand exactly what is going on. Therefore, when you go to visit your grandparent in a nursing home, you need to know what signs to look for. For example, if you noticed that your grandmother or grandfather is losing weight, then he or she may not be receiving his or her meals. Or, if he or she is developing a lot of medical complications, it might be a sign that he or she is not getting his or her medications. Make sure that you understand exactly what is going on with your grandparents and the care that he or she is supposed to receive.
Furthermore, you should also keep your eyes open for signs of physical abuse as well. If you notice there are new bruises, lacerations, or burn marks, then you need to ask how they happened. In some cases, there may be an innocent explanation for them. In other cases, they could be a sign of abuse.
Reach Out to Trained Professionals Immediately
In addition, if you notice that anything is unusual, you also need to reach out to trained professionals as soon as possible. Make sure that your grandmother or grandfather gets the medical care that he or she deserves if he or she has suffered some injuries. Even though the nursing home may offer to take care of them on their own, do not let this happen. Always seek the assistance of another party. For example, if you take your grandmother or grandfather to the emergency room, the doctor there may confirm that this is evidence of nursing home abuse.
Nursing home abuse is a serious issue and time is of the essence. You are well within your rights to ask for the assistance of another professional if you want to learn more about what is happening in the nursing home. For example, you may discover that the nursing home has a troubling pattern regarding nursing home abuse.
Do Not Go Through This Alone
If you realize that your grandparent has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you may not know what to do next. You may feel isolated and lonely. Remember that you do not have to go through this alone. There are always trained professionals who are willing to lend a helping hand. Our elderly population is vulnerable and it is important for us to do everything we can to protect them.
