Options For Relocating A Parent Who Has Experienced Nursing Home Abuse

When it becomes clear to you that your parent has endured any type of abuse in a nursing home, you want to handle a pair of tasks right away. Your first priority is to ensure that your loved one gets the medical care that he or she needs, and your second priority is to speak to an attorney who focuses on nursing home abuse cases. Next on your to-do list should be relocating your parent to a safe environment. Once it's apparent to you that abuse has occurred, you cannot justifiably leave your parent in the nursing home. Your nursing home abuse attorney can give you some advice on how to proceed, but here are three relocation options.

Your Home

Your home may be the most practical place to which you can relocate your parent, even if it's for a short amount of time while you figure out your next steps. Obviously, your parent's medical needs will dictate whether your home will be a suitable environment. If you want to keep your loved one close to you, then you can rent a variety of medical equipment, including a hospital bed, and arrange home care staff to visit your parent daily or even stay with him or her in your home around the clock. In this environment, you'll appreciate being close to your parent and knowing that he or she is safe.

Another Nursing Home

If your parent has medical needs that are difficult to facilitate in a home environment, you may need to get him or her into another nursing home. This can sometimes be a challenging process, but your attorney may present some advice on which homes have helped his or her clients with their relocation needs in the past. Ideally, you'll be able to find a nursing home that can offer a bed to your parent with little to notice, and you can get your parent settled in this new environment.

An Extended-Stay Hotel

Depending on your living situation, it may be impractical for your parent to relocate to your home, even temporarily. For example, if you have a small apartment, it may not be accommodating for your parent. If your parent can live somewhat independently — perhaps with assistance from you, other family members, and a home care nurse — you might think about checking him or her into an extended-stay hotel. This can be a safe environment that you can use while you evaluate the next steps that you'll take.