Like many adult children of aging parents in West Virginia, you undoubtedly wish you could spend more time visiting your mother or father than you’re able to due to your day-to-day family and career obligations. When it became obvious that your parent might be best off transitioning to nursing home care, you likely researched all the available residences in your area.
Personal injury issues are problematic in many West Virginia nursing homes. When you entrust your aging parent’s care to providers in such facilities, you have a right to reasonably expect that they will provide high quality care in accordance with state laws and accepted safety standards of the industry.
Are you concerned about these personal injury issues?
It’s always a good idea to closely observe your loved one when you visit him or her in a nursing home. The following list includes signs that neglect or abuse may be taking placewhen you are away from your loved one’s side:
- Bed sores on your loved one’s body that suggest care providers are not helping him or her change positions often
- One or more medication errors
- Loved one in need of supervision left alone
- Unexplained bruises, broken bones or other injuries
- Disheveled or unclean appearance
- Room smells like bodily wastes
- Dirty sheets
- Love one seems afraid or irritated around a particular worker
Perhaps your aging parent gets cranky at times; this is a common effect of the aging process. However, if you think there’s more to it or are concerned that your loved one seems frightened or upset, it pays to further investigate the matter. Care providers and nursing home officials should be able to provide logical and sufficient answers to your questions.
If a personal injury has occurred in a West Virginia nursing home
It’s understandable that you worry about your loved one when you’re away from him or her. If you suspect that an injury has occurred due to neglect or patient abuse, you may immediately reach out for support to help you bring the matter to the attention of the proper authorities.
Many people hire private investigators when they suspect a family member is receiving substandard care in a nursing home. In fact, when there is evidence of this, it is not uncommon for those involved to file personal injury claims in civil court to seek legal accountability against those deemed responsible for their loved ones’ suffering.
