Abuse In The Nursing Home: Support Your Parent As They Fight Their Malpractice Case
Unfortunately, statistics show that elderly people are abused more often in nursing homes than in other settings. It can be hard for individuals to report the abuse they experience due to fear of upsetting their caretakers or creating a problem for their families. So your parent needs some support to stay strong while fighting throughout their malpractice case to get the justice they deserve. Of course, finding a new and safe residence for your parent to live should be the first priority. Once that is taken care of, here are a few other things you can do to help support their case and their comfort levels overall:
Facilitate Counseling
One of the most important tools your parent can take advantage of while they recover from their abuse experience is counseling. To ensure that your parent gets as much care as possible, consider providing the transportation so things like gas and driving don't become an issue during sessions. You may also find that attending family sessions once or twice will help to give you some insight into your parent's state of mind, and ensure that you both have the right tools to communicate and support one another throughout this trying time.
Take Plenty of Photos
To help build evidence for your parent's malpractice case, take photos of anything that shows visual proof of the experience they've been through. Missing hair, bruises, scratches, bed sores, and a general run-down or unwell appearance are all things that will more than likely be relevant in your parent's case. It may also be a good idea to photograph your parent's living space and the common areas of the nursing home if evidence of neglect or danger is present. Your parent's lawyer should be happy to tell you what kinds of evidence to focus on. Taking photographs of the healing process, if visible, will give your lawyer and the court some insight into the pain and suffering your parent has endured and is enduring.
Encourage Using a Diary
By using a diary, your parent can record their thoughts, healing progress, and hardships that are a result of the abuse they have had to put up with in their nursing home, so that no small yet important details are overlooked when it's time for the lawyer to represent your parent in court. Headaches, muscle pain, depression, the progress of healing bruises, and other similar aspects should be recorded daily so that a physical, emotional, and mental healing pattern can be established and used to determine what kind of compensation and how much should be asked for in the lawsuit.
This diary shouldn't be used to record personal thoughts or opinions, but instead only to record the results of the abuse. This will ensure that the entirety of the diary can be used to help build a malpractice case – the lawyer should not have to spend time deciphering what content is too personal and what content can be used in the case.
Act as the Go-Between
To take some pressure off of your parent throughout their malpractice case, consider volunteering to act as the go-between for them and their lawyer. This will minimize the stress of them having to fill out paperwork, discuss the abusers, and recount situations that are painful with a stranger. You can work with your parent in a caring environment that makes them feel safe and secure, then take that information to the lawyer in order to put together a strong case. This process will take some commitment on your part, but it can make the whole ordeal a lot less scary and more productive for everyone involved – especially your parent.
You'll find that these techniques help make the overall process of getting justice for your parent a little less time consuming, a lot less stressful, and more satisfactory for everyone involved. For more information, visit sites like http://www.snyderwenner.com.
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