When families entrust a facility to take care of their aging loved ones, they have expectations that they will be treated well. Often promises are made...✓ Have adequate and qualified staff✓ Provide the assistance they need when they need it✓ Serve nutritious meals and keep them hydrated✓ Keep the resident clean and free from infections✓ Help them with activities of daily living...but often broken. Typically a family comes for a visit and hears complaints about hunger, thirst, and pain. They notice things like foul smells and filthy hygiene and start to question the facility and its staff. The response is often, “we will take care of it” or “we will get right on it” or “we will talk with the staff. As an attorney for elder abuse victims, these are the excuses we often hear. We recommend the moment these concerns arise you:✓ Communicate with the Charge Nurse or Director of Nursing. Make sure you put your concerns in writing and keep it civil, and try not to make accusations. Remember, your goal is to resolve the problems, not cause conflict within the staff who are caring for your loved one.✓ Contact the Ombudsman for the facility. This information should be included in your original paperwork, it should be, by law, posted in the facility and the staff is required to provide you with that information if you ask.✓ Contact the appropriate licensing authority. For example, if your loved one is in a nursing home, contact The Department of Public Health, or if they are in an assisted living facility, you can reach out to The Department of Social Services. ✓ Vary the times you visit your family member, so there isn’t a clear pattern, staff can’t prepare, and you witness a more authentic experience. If flexibility is a challenge, have other friends, and family members visit at different times.If nothing improves within a week or two, it is time to contact an attorney. You and your loved one have legal rights, especially if there is injury due to neglect or abuse. Don’t wait until it is too late.If you are concerned that your elder parent is in a bad situation, let’s talk. Whether or not we decide to work together, I guide you in the right direction and share the options available to you.✉ travis@neglectattorney.com ✆ 562.645.4145