With Mother’s Day upon us, we are thinking about our moms. What is it that you want most for your mom? We want our moms to be safe and taken care of. Especially if your mom is elderly and has taken care of you your whole life, and now it’s time for you to care for her.
When someone else cares for Mom
Many of us find ourselves in a circumstance where taking care of our own children and working does not allow for us to take care of our aging parents on a full-time basis. That means we rely on someone else to ensure her safety and wellbeing. For example, a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living center. It’s a horrifying thought but what if the staff we trusted to care for Mom doesn’t care for her the way they should? What if that neglect leads to severe illness or injury? You would feel angry and maybe even helpless.
What can I do?
First let’s talk about how we can ensure our loved one is being taken care of appropriately in a care facility. Here are some ways to stay involved.
- Visit frequently. It’s been difficult to visit facilities like these during the COVID pandemic because of the restrictions on visitation. But one way to ensure the health and safety of your mom is to frequently check in at the facility where she stays. If the visitor restrictions have not yet been lifted at the facility, you can also arrange for the use of an iPad or tablet to FaceTime.
- Ask a lot of questions. Stay informed. Ask things like: When was her last shower? How much has she eaten today? Has she had any falls or been injured in any way? Have you made any changes to her medications? What measures are in place to keep her safe? How often is she checked on during the day?
- Request records. Facilities like these are required to keep records. Records that include medication administration, physical evaluations, and any incidents that may occur—like a fall.
Care facilities can be expensive
The average cost of a skilled nursing facility can be in the range of $5,000–$7,000 per month and more. And the average cost of assisted living can be $3,500 per month and higher. That’s a significant amount of money being spent to ensure Mom’s safety. The money available to our moms at this stage in their life should be spent on improving their quality of life and allowing them the happiness and security that they deserve. It shouldn’t need to be spent on medical bills for an illness or injury caused by neglect or at the fault of someone who was contracted to care for her.
Injuries in care facilities
The most common type of injury in these types of facilities is physical trauma. For example, from falls. Falls can cause severe injury, even when from a low height. Falls can result in fractures, hematomas, and even bleeding in the brain. The medical costs associated with this type of injury could range from a few thousand to the tens of thousands. If an ICU stay is required, the costs could be tremendous.
In addition to falls, your mom could also suffer an infection or illness that becomes severe and even life threatening if it goes untreated or unnoticed for too long.
We are here to help
If your mom has been injured or is suffering from the results of neglect, we can help. Navigating the next steps after an injury can be difficult. Our team at Moxie Law understands that, and we can take care of your legal needs while you take care of Mom.
