When you transition your loved one to a nursing home in Florida you rely on the facility to provide compassionate care. Hearing about allegations of elder abuse elsewhere may cause concern about your own loved one’s experience.
Knowing some of the strategies that nursing homes can use to reduce the risks of abuse can help you hold facility staff accountable. with your knowledge, you can intervene when you notice concerning behavior before it endangers your loved one or anyone else.
Education and training
You can observe the demeanor and behavior of staff members when you go to visit your loved one. They should carry themselves with confidence, provide knowledgeable assessments about your family member’s care and condition, and treat each patient with dignity and respect. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, professional and compassionate staff culminate from effective education and training.
Nursing homes should require that their staff members have the proper certifications to provide medical care to each patient. You can also ask what types of training resources the facility provides to support and educate its staff.
Monitoring and compliance
Even if your loved one’s nursing home has an effective training regimen, if they lack a monitoring system, compliance may plummet. You can ask the facility what their protocols are for monitoring employee behavior, encouraging compliance and disciplining staff that fails to uphold a reasonable standard of care.
Collaborate with your family member to establish a visitation schedule. Sometimes you may even show up unannounced, which may provide a more accurate understanding of what happens when you are not around. If you notice non-compliant staff, immediately report your concerns to facility management.
