Does your Virginia nursing home resident have a good care plan in place?

When families come to us with concerns about the health and well-being of their loved one in a Virginia nursing home, one thing we often find is that the home should have been doing a better job with the resident’s care plan.

 

All Virginia nursing home residents should undergo an evaluation when they first arrive at a nursing home, however we find that not all homes are doing this evaluation – or doing it right.  Residents should be evaluated for things like the likelihood that they will fall, develop bed sores (pressure ulcers) or contractures, or that they will suffer from malnutrition or dehydration.

 

Once a resident is evaluated, the nursing home should develop a comprehensive care plan, detailing how the nursing home staff will ensure that the resident does not succumb to any of the aforementioned conditions.

 

However, homes where residents experience abuse or neglect may not be properly developing or following care plans.  They may even be falsifying the resident’s records, noting that they are doing what is required by the care plan but not actually doing it.  Lack of adequate staff and lack of staff training are two reasons why care plans are often not developed or followed properly.

 

If you have a loved one whom you suspect is a victim of Virginia nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact us immediately.  We will review your situation confidentially, and can work with you to investigate the situation and determine if the home has committed abuse or neglect.