Personal Injury Law

Visiting your elderly can make a difference in Chicago nursing homes

By Kris Briggs

Nursing homes are often visited during the Holidays. At a time when elderly loved ones are home bound, family members make the extra effort to visit during the holidays. One priority to note as you make your visit is that your elderly family member is being given the best care possible. Our Chicago nursing home neglect lawyers want to urge you to pay close attention as you roam the halls.

If you have concerns after visiting an area home this holiday, please discuss them with an attorney or speak to the authorities. Illinois nursing homes have come under heavy fire in recent years for instances of gross neglect and abuse.

Making the decision to put your loved one in a nursing home is hard enough but when you discover that there could be abuse going on it is heart wrenching. Sadly, nursing home neglect and abuse is more prevalent than what we think so it's important for you and your elderly loved one to know your rights. In 1987, the Nursing Home Reformed Act was established to protect the rights of nursing home residents. Essentially the act established that residents have the right to: be updated; decisive about personal healthcare; make choices regarding clothes, food, etc.; privacy; valued opinion; management of financial affairs; 30 day notice of being moved or let go; voice their opinion; and visitors.

In concern for your elderly you should look for signs of abuse or neglect because they probably will be afraid to talk about it openly. Things you should look for would be things like:

-Physical injuries like scratches, abrasions, or bed sores.

-Unchanged clothes like dirty underwear

-Odors in their bed or on their person.

-Increased weight loss

-Emotions such as moodiness, irritability, quietness, withdrawal

If a loved one seems distant or not quite themselves try to talk to them about it. It may just be the sadness of being alone during the holidays or the loss of a spouse or child causing them to be depressed. If there are evident signs of abuse or neglect, please seek professional help. Protecting your elder is of utmost importance so its important to take the right steps to assure that it happens.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on December 17, 2010 (boomark / email).