COVID-19 has forced us all inside to shelter from the spread, but some people are not in the comfort of their own homes, and instead are in nursing homes under the care of others. Even though you trust the workers at their facility, the restrictions on visitations in nursing homes make things difficult for you and your loved one. They might not understand why you’re not visiting, and you might feel guilty for not being able to see them every day like you used to.

You might feel like the virus is far away and has not yet affected Lexington, but recently a staff member of an unnamed nursing home in our county has tested positive. On top of that, at least 152 nursing home residents have been infected and 16 have died. This is where COVID-19 is most dangerous, and why you might feel the need to protect your loved one in a nursing home.

Residents in nursing homes often need around the clock care. While those in charge of care may face certain challenges, this never means they can violate the residents’ rights. For example, when taking care of residents with dementia or other forms of memory loss, the resident can become confused or agitated. Acting out verbally and physically are both situations the staff may have to deal with. However, this doesn’t allow the staff to cause any harm to the resident. Sometimes, some nursing homes resort to using restrains to stay in control of the resident. While there may be some situations where retrains may be used to protect the resident from harm, there are many ways that a nursing home can use restraints that are in violation of the resident’s rights.

If you’re concerned about your loved one’s treatment in a nursing home, seek help immediately. Your loved one deserves to be in a safe environment where they’re getting the care they need. Then, you can start seeking your legal options with a lawyer at your side.

As the number of residents in nursing homes rise, the amount of staff either stays the same or lessens. This makes it nearly impossible for you or your loved one to get proper care in a long-term facility. Even though you expect all basic needs to be met, that’s not always the case.

Nursing home staff has a hard enough time meeting the minimum of basic needs for all patients, and dental hygiene can be no different. Other parts of care are prioritized above oral care, which leaves many teeth unbrushed and unattended.

Falls in nursing homes are a frequent problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported as many as 20% of nursing home falls resulted in serious injuries, up to 6% caused fractures. In the same report, the CDC estimated 3 million people 65 and older will live in nursing homes by 2030. By those numbers, at least 600,000 will be seriously injured by falls in a nursing home in the future. A resident will fall on average 3 times per year, including people who cannot walk. We put our trust in long-term care facilities to take care of our loved ones, so why are there so many falls?

It’s no secret that understaffing in nursing homes is a serious issue in the United States. Understaffing happens for a number of reasons, including a high employee turnover rate and facilities trying to save money. There, however, is never any reason that excuses poor care. If your loved one’s nursing home facility is understaffed, there are steps you can take to ensure they receive the care they need.

Putting the care of our loved ones in the hands of others is a big step requiring a lot of trust. Even though nursing homes are supposed to nurture residents, not all facilities provide high-quality care and unfortunately Kentucky’s best facilities have waiting lists for admittance. But that shouldn’t keep your loved one from getting attentive, adequate care. No facility should neglect its residents.

When a nursing home fails to care for their residents, that negligence can result in injuries and illness. Because senior citizens typically have more compromised immune systems and it’s harder for them to recover, negligence can also cause death. One of these types of injuries that can severely affect a senior’s life is pressure sores, which are also called bedsores.

If you find that your loved one has suffered from these injuries, they need to get treatment immediately. How and when do bedsores commonly develop? Let’s take look at the causes and risk factors of developing pressure sores in a nursing home:

Nursing home abuse is a serious and underreported issue. According to the National Council on Aging, one in 10 seniors is abused every year; however, it’s estimated that only every one in 23 cases is reported. The lack of reporting happens because victims often refrain from reporting incidents out of feelings of fear or guilt.

In order to stop instances of nursing home abuse, the government has a number of nursing home regulations in place. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has a number of programs that strive to identify nursing home abuse and protect elders. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it’s important to understand what the government is doing to protect them, so you can take legal action in the event their rights are violated.