The Dickson Firm, L.L.C. represents nursing home residents and their families in cases against the owners and the operators of nursing homes throughout the State of Ohio.
This article was written by Ohio nursing home attorney, Blake Dickson.
Whether you are faced with the challenging decision to place someone you love in a Cleveland nursing home, or whether someone you love is already in a Cleveland nursing home, there are some important nursing home red flags to look out for.
Many families struggle with the decision to place someone they love in a nursing home. A lot of the families who we talk to here at The Dickson Firm feel guilty about placing someone they love in a nursing home instead of caring for that person themselves.
As AARP reports, “the decision to move a relative into a nursing home is often among the most excruciating that caregivers make. In one 2019 research study, over 50 percent of caregivers felt at least somewhat guilty about nursing home placement; over 13 percent felt extremely guilty.”
Those feelings are understandable.
Nursing homes should be safe places for their residents where their needs are met. Nursing Homes should provide the care that their residents require. Nursing Homes should always treat their residents with dignity, respect, and kindness. In fact, there are laws that require all of this.
In Ohio, there is a body of law known as the Nursing Home Residents' Bill of Rights, which requires nursing homes to treat their residents with dignity and respect. It is unfortunate that the State of Ohio legislature had to pass a law legally requiring nursing homes to treat their residents with dignity and respect. But it was necessary and the law does exist.
Unfortunately, there are a large number of nursing homes in Ohio that do not treat their residents with dignity and respect. They do not provide their residents with proper care. They neglect and abuse their residents. Sadly, we talk with families every day about these nursing homes. Many of these nursing homes are in Cleveland.
How to Choose a Good Cleveland Nursing Home?
So how can you choose the proper nursing home for your loved one? And if your loved one is already in a nursing home, how can you know if they are receiving proper care?
Please do not feel badly if your loved one needs nursing home care. Many nursing home residents require care that their families simply cannot provide. Many residents require supervision at all times. Many families simply cannot be with their loved one 24 hours a day. The family members have work and school. If your loved one requires supervision and cannot be left at home by themselves then they need to be in a nursing home where they can get the constant care and attention they need.
Cleveland nursing homes are legally required to have an adequate number of properly trained staff to provide their residents with adequate supervision and to give them the care that they need.
Though it can be very difficult, the decision to not put someone in a nursing home may put that person at risk. If they can't be left at home unattended safely, they should be in a nursing home where they're getting the care that they need. They should be a in a nursing home where they are getting the supervision they need.
A great resource with respect to choosing a nursing home, or for looking into whether or not the nursing home where your loved one already is a resident is providing good care, is the Medicare website. Click here to access a list of all the nursing homes in Ohio. You can search nursing homes geographically, check the five-star rating of each nursing home, and see how large they are. You can also see if they're owned by a for-profit corporation or if they are owned by a nonprofit, if they've had past penalties, and you can see an evaluation of the quality of care they provide.
Once you have done the research and you've selected a few nursing homes to look into for your loved one, you should definitely pay a visit to each facility.
Be On The Lookout For Cleveland Nursing Home Red Flags
One of the red flags is a popcorn machine in the lobby. Why would a popcorn machine be a red flag? The reason is that the smell of freshly popped popcorn is very strong and nursing homes often put a popcorn machine in the lobby to cover up other smells. Sadly, these are often the smells of neglect. The popcorn could be covering up nursing home residents who are not being kept clean, or residents who are incontinent and are not being changed on a regular basis.
As you visit each nursing home, be sure to tour the facility. Visit at different times of the day and take note of if there is an adequate number of staff present.
Another significant red flag to look for in a nursing home is lack of staffing. Do you see multiple residents unattended? Do you see residents in the dining room with very few staff helping them and supervising them? Do you see multiple staff on the floor? Do you see staff helping residents?
Staffing is one of the most significant factors in providing appropriate care to nursing home residents. If the nursing home has proper staff, it greatly increases the likelihood that the residents are receiving proper care. If the nursing home is understaffed, it is virtually impossible to provide the residents with appropriate care.
Talk with the Administrator of the facility as well as the Director of Nursing. If these people are at the facility and available to you, that is a good sign. If these people are unavailable, that should be a concern.
At The Dickson Firm, we keep track of Special Focus Facilities and nursing homes in the greater Cleveland area that have demonstrated significant issues with resident care. Some of the worst nursing homes in Ohio are in Cleveland:
These are facilities that have a proven track record for poor care and should be avoided if possible.
What If My Loved One Is Already a Resident of a Cleveland Nursing Home?
If someone you love is already in a nursing home, sit in their room and push the call button. See how long it takes the staff to respond. If no one comes for an extended period of time, that is a very serious concern. That may mean the nursing home is understaffed. Further, if you have an issue, ask to speak with the supervisor on duty at that time. Are they available? Are they responsive? Do they address your concern?
Once again, visit it at different times. Visit early in the morning. Visit in the evening. Ask for the supervisor in the evening. See who is working at the nursing home. Unfortunately, many nursing homes don't have supervision at various times. At all times, you should be able to talk with an LPN at a minimum. At most times, there should be an RN on duty at the nursing home who can address your concerns.
Is the nursing home clean? Are the floors clean? Is laundry done on a regular basis? Are your loved one's linens clean? Do they change the sheets and the bedding on a regular basis? Do they keep your resident’s clothes clean?
Visit during mealtime. Are the residents getting assistance with meals? Is the food hot?
Always examine the condition of your loved one. Are they being kept clean? Are their nails well maintained? Is their hair brushed and taken care of? Do they seem clean to you? Are they kept in clean clothes? Are they bathed often? And if they have any kind of injury or wound, is that being attended to? Are dressings changed on a regular basis? Does your loved one ever seem dirty or neglected? Are they ever not changed promptly? If their dressings are not changed promptly, these are all significant red flags of poor care.
Worried About Nursing Home Red Flags? Contact a Cleveland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney
There are good nursing homes in Cleveland where nursing home residents receive proper care. There are also terrible nursing homes in Ohio where the residents are neglected and abused.
If someone you love has been neglected or abused in a nursing home, please call us at The Dickson Firm at 1-800-OHIO-LAW, as we would be happy to talk with you and help you in any way that we can.
