Seguin Residents Guide to Understanding Nursing Home Law

Nursing homes and retirement communities are supposed to be secure places, wherein your loved ones can rest easy knowing they are in a safe environment where they have easy access to medical care. Unfortunately, it is within these very enclaves that horrible acts can occur. Abuse can strike anywhere, and it is important to know when you might need an attorney. With multiple nursing homes throughout Seguin, it is not unlikely that a loved one may be experiencing negligence, if not abuse.

In a city like Seguin, it is important to be knowledgeable about the signs of abuse. It is also vital to grasp the laws established to protect your loved ones at these facilities. You may see and recognize the signs, but not know what to do about it. The law can be complicated, and it is important to have the help of a lawyer to walk you through the Seguin residents’ guide to understanding nursing home law.

There are laws in place throughout Texas that cities like Seguin are subject to. These laws ensure a high standard of care for adult care facility residents. Failure to keep to these rules indicates the existence of Seguin nursing home negligence or abuse. Your loved ones are entitled to care that is safe and healthy, with there being no traces of abuse, whether it be mental, physical, sexual, or verbal.

Seguin is covered by regulations set by the Texas Administrative Code that dictates the level of quality care elder facility residents should receive. This law states that all vital services that are required to maintain the “highest possible mental, physical, and psychosocial wellbeing” must be provided.

Unfortunately, Texas is consistently ranked one of the worst states for enforcing these codes, and residents of nursing homes could need a Seguin nursing home abuse lawyer from Carabin Shaw. The law does provide for legal recourse if an individual resident’s needs are not being met by their plan of care, which is an important part of the Seguin residents guide to understanding nursing home law.

Personal items, over-the-counter medications, room and board, medical supplies, and social services are a few examples of crucial amenities that patients and residents of elder care facilities should have access to with a care plan. If a patient does not have access to a comprehensive care plan that maintains these standards while in these homes, it may be time to contact an attorney.

Eating is an important part of these basic needs, so residents of nursing homes must have access to an ideal diet with plenty of liquids to stay hydrated and as healthy as possible. What an ideal diet and hydration plan looks like for patients can vary greatly, but staff are still expected to meet these needs with a nutritious diet that is balanced.

Adult care facilities must also must sanitary and safe for all residents. There are strict rules that dictate how clean and well-maintained these facilities ought to be. Beyond essentials like clean towels and linens, patients should be regularly checked for bedsores. Further, steps should be taken to prevent the development of bedsores, such as aiding a patient’s mobility when medically possible. Medical professionals in these facilities should have clear and accessible plans on how to reduce the development of these sores.

As nursing homes are most known for their ability to provide medical care on site, it is vital that you or your loved ones have access to needed medicine. Failure to get this medicine can entitle a patient to legal recourse. Further, staff must be vigilant in preventing miscalculations and other errors with dosage. Likewise, the administration or prescribing of excessive or unneeded medicine, whether it be over-the-counter or prescription, is not acceptable under regulations.

The last common issue you or your loved ones should be aware is of the staffing of a facility. All staff members must receive training that adequately prepares them for providing quality care for residents. Additionally, an RN must be available seven days a week, for eight hours a day. Likewise, there be an appropriate number of staff members, at least one direct caregiver available during the day for every five residents. This number changes for the evening (one for every ten) and night (one for every fifteen).

These are but a few of the concerns you or a loved one might experience at a nursing home or elder care facility. It is highly advisable that you contact a lawyer with experience in elder care abuse or negligence should you feel that a facility is not adequately meeting these established expectations of care.

If you have worries call Carabin Shaw today for a free consultation with an attorney at 1.800.682.1260.