The importance of speaking up about nursing home abuse and neglect

Few things are worse than suspecting your loved one is being abused or neglected at a Virginia long-term care facility that you helped select.  Unfortunately, sometimes well-meaning family members ignore the signs of elder abuse and neglect for fear of ‘rocking the boat’ or concern that staff will take it out on their loved one if concerns are raised.

Sadly the one who suffers in situations like that are the resident themselves.  Some nursing home residents are really powerless to speak up about substandard care or if they can speak up they can’t effect change in their facility.  It is very important that you learn to spot the signs of potential nursing home abuse and neglect, and be ready to take action if you see them.

If you decide to speak up about abuse or neglect, make sure you keep a written record of what happened and what steps you took to intervene.  Keep track of everything that has happened and who was involved, including dates.  Other places you can go for help include long-term care ombudsman, citizen advocacy groups, legal services, and the Virginia state licensing and certification agency.

To speak with an experienced Norfolk based nursing home abuse and neglect attorney, please contact the offices of Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C. at (800) 690-0235.