One of the best ways to stop nursing home abuse and neglect is also one of the most obvious. If your loved one’s safety in a nursing facility concerns you, it is important to go out of your way to get to know the people in charge of his or her care.
Building relationships with nursing aides can be the difference between a neglectful situation and a blissful one. According to the AARP, you should insist on consistency and be picky about fit when it comes to nursing aides.
What needs to be consistent?
The best care tends to come from one nursing aide. One of the first questions to ask when you are shopping for assisted living is how often there is turnover in the nursing staff. Depending on your budget and the type of facility you are looking at, it may not be possible to have the same one or two aides 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
However, you will want to ensure that the number is as small as possible. It is much easier to develop mutual respect with a small number of people as compared to a cohort of nursing aides.
How picky should I be?
Even if an aide is completely polite and competent does not mean that the aide and your loved one will “click” on a personal level. Do not be afraid to shop around if necessary for a nursing aide that makes your loved one happy as well as ensures that he or she is well-cared for. It may take a few tries before you find somebody who works.