If you have a loved one who is in a New Mexico nursing home, you may worry about his or her safety. You have to hand over the care of this person to people you do not know. It is essential that you can trust them. However, nursing home problems are not something new. Mistakes happen and sometimes intentional actions lead to serious health issues and even death. One such situation is the overprescribing or other misuses of medications.
Is there a problem with drug misuse in nursing homes?
Despite the dangers, nursing home abuse cases are underreported
Nursing home abuse is unlawful and can happen to anyone who is living in a nursing home in New Mexico. Though seniors are at risk of suffering harm at the hands of their roommates and other residents, many of them are being abused by the workers. Loved ones are encouraged to visit often and report any signs and suspicions of mistreatment to facility administrators and the local authorities. Nursing homes also have an obligation to report abuse cases. However, “more than 25 percent of serious nursing home abuse incidents go unreported”, states NPR.org.
3 dangers of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes
When you make the difficult decision to transition your elderly parent into a nursing home, you doubtlessly trust that the facility you choose will provide adequate care. The last thing you would expect is that the professionals working there would be negligent and perhaps even abusive towards your loved one. Unfortunately, however, this happens more frequently than you might think.
Recognizing the signs of financial exploitation
One form of elder abuse that you should learn how to recognize if you decide to move your elderly parent into a nursing home in Albuquerque involves finances. Financial exploitation affects many older people, not just those who live in nursing homes. According to a study on Forbes.com, for every 44 financial exploitation incidents, only one is reported. Financial abuse is one of the most underreported forms of abuse that seniors experience.
A closer look at preventing falls in a nursing home
Many families with elderly loved ones in New Mexico pay considerable attention to the living condition of residents at nursing home facilities before deciding where to house their family member. Their thorough research reflects the type of quality care they wish their loved one to have access to. Unfortunately, there are instances where human error, lapses in communication and even blatant ignorance can create hazardous conditions for residents at nursing home facilities.
