How to Find a Safe Nursing Home in Iowa
Looking for a safe, clean and quality nursing home in Iowa for your loved one can be a very timely and confusing process. How do you know what to look for? Whom can you trust? How do you pick the right nursing home for your elderly relative? Although you may have many more questions on your mind, the Cedar Rapids nursing home abuse attorneys at Brady Preston Gronlund would like to help answer those questions and help you during this difficult process.
Conduct Research on Iowa Nursing Homes
There are many good, quality nursing homes; however, there are also hundreds of bad nursing homes located in Iowa that are in constant violation of health and safety standards. In order to find out which nursing homes are the good ones, one of the first things you should do is conduct research. For example, Consumer Reports produces a state "Watch List" that points out the nursing homes in Iowa that have repeat violations.
Visit and Inspect Many Different Iowa Nursing Homes
Make sure you visit different nursing homes to note the appearance of the facility, and how clean the hallways, bedrooms, furniture, and bedding appear. Also, pay attention to the residents' appearances to make sure they looked cared for.
It is also important to notice if the staff seems attentive or if they are ignoring residents. This is critical to observe, because one of the biggest nursing home abuse claims in Iowa and throughout the nation is neglect. Neglect abuse claims occur when a nursing home is short-staffed and cannot provide proper care for their residents.
Speak With Residents, Their Family Members and Other Visitors
When you are at the facility, stop and talk with some residents to find out how they are being treated and how they like the nursing home. You can also ask other visitors and family members of residents to find out what their experience has been. This is the best way to judge the quality of care that current residents are receiving.
Speak With the Administrator and Director of Nursing
It is critical to speak with the nursing home administrator and the director of nursing to see how you are treated and to let them know you are carefully choosing a nursing home for your family member. Bring a list of questions with you so that you can make an informed decision. It is also important to talk with the nursing staff to get an impression of how they care for the residents at that nursing home.
Make sure you take your time and conduct the proper research when choosing a nursing home for your loved one, because many nursing homes in Iowa have been cited for neglect, sexual assault, overuse of restraints, malnutrition, and physical and emotional abuse.
If you have questions, please call the Law Offices of Brady Preston Gronlund today at (319) 866-9277 to speak with an experienced Iowa catastrophic injury lawyer. Also, if you believe your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse in Iowa, please call our Cedar Rapids nursing home abuse lawyers today for a free consultation to find out your rights.
