Is My Loved One Being Abused Or Neglected In A Missouri Nursing Home?

Advice From Our Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Lawyers

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Admin

The decision to place a loved one in a skilled nursing facility or assisted living facility can be an agonizing one. On one hand, you don’t want to feel like you are abandoning or neglecting your loved one by placing them in the care of someone else. On the other hand, you know you just don’t have the time, resources, or medical care to take care of your loved one in the way they need. It can be a very difficult decision.

The decision can make you feel even worse when you place your loved one in the care of a facility and you suspect they have suffered abuse or neglect. In Missouri, the Department of Health and Senior Services defines abuse as the “infliction of physical, sexual, or emotional injury or harm including financial exploitation by any person, firm or corporation.” Neglect is defined as, “the failure to provide services to an eligible adult by any person, firm or corporation with a legal or contractual duty to do so, when such failure presents either an imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the client or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result.”

In 2016, over 25,000 cases of allegations of abuse or neglect were reported. The number of cases reported has increased every year since 2012. Before moving into a nursing facility, residents and their families should know the resident’s rights. Some of these rights include:

• Be free from mental and physical abuse
• Be informed of their medical condition
• Select their own physician
• Participate in planning their care
• Refuse treatment
• Voice grievances
• Be treated with respect and dignity; and
• Have treatments provided in privacy

It is important for families and residents to research as much as possible about the nursing facility, the staff, the cleanliness, and medical care before deciding on a short-term or long-term care facility. No one deserves to have their loved one abused or neglected.

If you suspect abuse or neglect of a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility, contact the experienced attorneys at Halvorsen Klote now for a FREE CONSULTATION and case review.