When we think of nursing homes, we may not always think of a bright and cheery environment where our loved ones might want to live, let alone a place where they would receive the same level of care and attention that we would give them at home. However, many nursing homes do just that. They provide safe and caring environments for our loved ones who require additional personnel and medical care. This is not just the case for our elderly relatives, such as our moms and dads, but also loved ones who may require extra care due to a permanent disability.
There are many resources available to help plan for long-term care in Maryland. However, even after careful research into the right facility, it can still be a difficult decision to move loved ones into a nursing home. Let's face it, most of us would much rather care for them at home where we can attend to their needs, but that isn't always possible. In fact, most of us have jobs to go to, don't have the proper facilities to care for them or have other obligations such as financial limitations that prevent us from taking care of aging or disabled relatives at home.
Unfortunately, even when an assisted living facility or nursing home has the best of intentions, nursing home negligence can occur. For example, overworked nursing home staff, regardless of good intentions, can make mistakes such as a medication error that can potentially have long-term or fatal consequences. Nursing homes that are understaffed, overcrowded or lack funding are not always able to provide a reasonable level of care to their residents.
Nursing home residents may not be able to speak up for themselves and will rely on their loved ones to ensure they receive proper care. If you have a loved one living in a nursing home or assisted living facility and suspect any form of nursing home neglect, it may be beneficial to seek legal advice at the first sign of abuse. Working with someone who knows the complexities of neglect can help ease the financial and emotional strain on you and your loved one.