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Nursing Home Abuse Checklist Tips

Illinois is home to more than 3,000 residents who are considered under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. The health of these nursing home residents is paramount. These individuals are subject to the care and obligation of the nursing home professionals hired to take care of them. But often times these residents are left to become over-medicated, hungry, lacking adequate fluids, untreated for bedsores and left untreated for medical conditions.

If you know someone who is a resident of an Illinois nursing home, take time to make sure that you are aware of the signs of nursing home abuse or neglect. If you are suspicious of abuse or neglect, then bring along a checklist to rule in or rule out this treatment at the nursing home. If a loved one, friend, parent, grandparent or someone you know who is emotionally irritated, withdrawn, quiet or isolated from others, take note. This may be a sign of verbal or emotional mistreatment by a nursing home caregiver.

Note that the person you care about has physical restraints, is lethargic, has signs of bruising or injury, then check the box for signs of physical abuse.

If you know that the person you visit is suffering from infection, unclean bedding, lacking dental care, missing meals or has the evidence of bedsores, then you will check the box for signs of neglect.

If suspicion of nursing home abuse is present, it is critically important that the nursing home records be requested and copied. This would include admitting documents and business office records, preadmission records, the discharge summary, physician notes, physical and occupational therapy notes, speech therapy, social services, vital signs, labs and even billing records. All of this is crucial in determining the care and treatment of a nursing home resident.

In addition, the hospital records which usually accompany a nursing home resident should be reviewed.

In those nursing home records should be a plan of care. These notes should very specifically set forth the unique services and care that the facility will give to the resident based on their medical condition, mental condition, age and recent hospitalizations.

The medical condition of a nursing home resident is fluid. That means that the resident’s health condition changes from day to day. Nursing home care providers must be aware of these changes and if not, these are signs of nursing home neglect.

Nursing home neglect starts at the top. There may be a corporate policy that makes good nursing home care unavailable. It may be that the deficiencies are found in the administration of nursing home care. There may also be a failure in caring for or protecting the resident because of staffing issues.

If you or a loved one know of or sense a nursing home resident has been neglected or abused, it is essential that you contact Kreisman Law Offices. We are dedicated to the service of our clients, especially those who have been mistreated, abused or neglected in nursing homes. With more than 40 years of experience in handling nursing home abuse cases, Kreisman Law Offices is skilled in this work.

If a loved one has been injured or harmed in a nursing home, contact Kreisman Law Offices 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. We are here to assist you and your family so that responsible parties are held accountable for the injuries or death to individuals injured in nursing homes. With more than 40 years of experience in trying and settling nursing home cases in Illinois, we have the know-how to best handle your case. Our service is unmatched.

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