Reporting Elder Abuse and Neglect
What can you do if you think your elderly loved one is experiencing abuse or neglect in a nursing home, bed and board, residential care or assisted living facility? First, express your concern to those involved in his or her care. They may be aides, nurses, dietitians, or other staff. For example, suppose your elderly relative cannot eat without assistance. You should immediately speak to the dietary staff if you see your relative sitting helplessly in front of a full plate of rapidly–cooling food at meal time. Likewise, you need to make yourself heard if you observe that the call bell goes unanswered for an extended length of time.
Sometimes bringing an incident to the attention of the immediate staff is insufficient, or there is a repeated pattern of inadequate care. Try talking with a staff supervisor. The supervisor may not be aware of a problem with a particular employee or of the difficulties with your loved one’s situation.
If talking with staff supervisors, physicians, or the facility head does not provide a satisfactory solution, you may follow the facility’s grievance process. Every nursing home is required to have a formal complaint procedure and a staff person who is designated to review grievances. Submit specific information about your complaints and attempts to resolve them (see Documenting Your Complaint). For serious and persistent problems, you should consider contacting state ombudsmen, government agencies, or a law firm with experience in elder abuse litigation (see Getting Help Outside the Long–term Care Facility for details).
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