With a growing number of elderly folks in Florida the demand for long-term care remains steady. While many families rely on assisted living facilities to provide quality care and help to their aging loved ones, some establishments have lackluster commitments to hiring trustworthy staff.
Even though concerned families would like to believe that all staff members have received proper certification, the reality is that many lack the proper skills to provide quality care. Risks of elder abuse can increase in facilities that do not prioritize proper certification and training of their caretakers.
Certification improves quality
Nursing certification helps health care workers develop a number of skills needed to properly care for and empathize with their patients. Many families lack the resources and skills to tend to the needs of their loved ones and believe that a qualified facility with certified workers can provide a solution. However, a study by AARP found that a surprising number of employees lack both certification and licensing.
Conditions seem to worsen in facilities where a large number of residents receive Medicaid benefits. When facilities focus on employee qualifications and training, they can improve the standard of care they give to their residents.
Certification improves loyalty
Employees lacking empathy, patience and listening skills may feel no obligation to form relationships with the people they care for. According to the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing, certified employees can share the skills and knowledge they have with their cohorts. With unsolicited information-sharing, staff can inadvertently improve the environment in their facility.
Staff that actively work to improve their skills may have a much higher commitment to caring for their patients. They are loyal to the residents and determined to help each person feel safe and comfortable. With these goals as their priorities, certified nursing staff are much less likely to engage in abusive behavior against the elderly residents in their facility.
