Sunday, August 11, 2013

How Should Caregivers Handle Nursing Home Abuse


In life, patience is key to being able to hurdle the trials and challenges that people encounter. This applies to adults, whether just staying at home, working in office or doing business. People who work in nursing homes all the more need as much patience as possible in order to provide the best care to the elderly residents.

Caregivers are among the most sought after workers in many countries where many nursing homes exist. These workers need to have the proper background in caring for old people to be able to perform their jobs well. However, it's unavoidable that sometimes a caregiver may feel very challenged when the behavior of the elderly people they look after go haywire.

It's true there have been many cases of abuses done to caregivers by elderly residents in nursing homes. Some of them include forcing them to work beyond their regular hours without pay, psychological and sexual harassment and doing chores not part of the job specified in their contract. There was even a recorded case of an old man who shot dead his caregiver.

Sometimes it also depends on the caregiver to decide the level of bad temper they can stand and what is already abusive. If they are able to set boundaries, they can better handle their situations.

But while it is admirable to endure the challenges involved in the work of a caregiver, abusive actions against them should be reported to the management or even to the proper authorities. There have been many nursing home workers who chose to suffer in silence for fear of losing their jobs and being deported as in the case of immigrants who have not yet met their eligibility requirements to attain a permanent residence status.

Most caregivers who encounter abuse issues during performance of their work may sometimes be confused whether they should sue the nursing home or not. In cases where a caregiver serves an elderly, it can be difficult to make a decision. A worker's level of understanding plays a major role here.

Caregivers may question themselves if they have the right to take a legal action when they are verbally or emotionally abused by the elderly residents that they serve in a nursing home. Pity sometimes sets in considering older people are involved but then again, if a person's dignity is at stake, he or she is prompted to take the necessary steps to fight for justice.

Consulting with a nursing home abuse attorney is a good start. Initially, an abused caregiver may file a complaint with the nursing home facility for the anguish he or she has suffered. An employer who cares for its staff should be able to take the proper action.

However, caregivers who experience abuses in the nursing homes where they work can take legal action if they wish especially when their initial complaint is ignored and no immediate action is taken to address the problem. Nursing home abuse lawyers can help determine if you have a case and how to file a complaint. They can give you the professional advice you need to go through your ordeal.

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