What To Do If Things Go Wrong In An Assisted-Living Community
caregivers.
If speaking to the immediate caregiver doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to go up the chain of command, all the way to the facility administrator if necessary. Whom this will involve depends on how the particular community is run and how its administration is structured, so it’s a good idea to ask for a facility manual early on, before your friend or relative signs a contract and moves in.
Line staff that cares for him on any given day, or those at the front desk, should also be able to answer your questions about the chain of command and steer you in the right direction if you have a serious concern.
* Signs or complaints of poor care, neglect, or abuse. Because many older adults were raised “not to make a fuss” and may not speak up for themselves for fear of alienating the caregivers on whom they are so dependent, it’s important to ask questions that leave the door wide open for him to report serious problems. Instead of just asking “How are you?” from time to time you may want to gently ask a more directed question, such as, “Is everything OK? Are there any problems I can help out with?”
Visible trouble signs to watch out for include frequent bedsores, unexplained weight loss, or older adults who spend long periods unattended in their beds or in wheelchairs in hallways or common areas.
What you can do: If you have reason to believe that a particular caregiver might be neglectful or abusive, then ask that your friend or relative be moved or assigned to a different caregiver while the concern is investigated.
If a serious problem does arise, this is an area where your family member may need you to advocate for him right away. So if you try to contact an administrator and don’t get a response immediately, keep trying. These may be busy administrators, but your loved one’s health and happiness are at stake!
If at all possible, you’ll also want to make frequent, unannounced visits to check on your friend or relative’s well-being during a period when a serious concern has been raised.
If, after going up the chain of command at the community, you still have serious concerns, you can contact your local or state long-term care ombudsperson and consider filing a complaint. Of course, if your concerns have reached this level, it may also be time to think about looking into a different assisted-living community
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How to handle a common, nonthreatening assisted-living problem
How to handle a potentially serious assisted-living problem
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