If you ever found yourself the victim of medical neglect or error, would you know what to do? Check out the following tips to protect yourself in the event of such a personal injury. Record everything. Take many pictures, write notes detailing your experience, and make copies of medical records to document accurate information. Include names and contact information of doctors, nurses, witnesses and anyone else who may have been involved or witnessed the events surrounding the error or neglect. Read on →

When it’s time to begin touring nursing homes, it’s vital to check out the facility for a high level of care to help avoid the dangers of abuse or neglect. The next time you tour a facility: Check the Cleanliness. Watch out for any unkempt or unattended areas of the facility. Are windows and corners well maintained or neglected? Inquire about the maintenance schedule and find out what help a resident can expect. Read on →

Many of us will at one point or another be faced with the issue of finding appropriate care for an aging loved one. It may not be a pleasant thought to consider, and we may find ourselves too busy with life and work to consider finding a quality nursing home–particularly if the senior is healthy, independent and spry. The unfortunate reality is that none of us know when a crisis or urgent need for nursing home placement will happen. Read on →

Caring for an aging individual is a large responsibility. All elders deserve a life free from abuse or neglect, and part of proper care includes attention to safety from the summer sun. Some older people become less concerned with safety or risk prevention when it comes to their health, and other seniors are unable to care for themselves and take proper precautions. You might be asking yourself, does sun safety really matter for elder adults? Read on →

Caretakers for the elderly have a vital job to protect the health and safety of an aging individual. As people age, there are increased summertime dangers which may not be realized by the individual themselves. If you have a loved one who happens to be a senior, be sure to educate yourself about common warm weather health risks, and watch for any signs that their caretaker is neglecting their needs. Fluids Seniors can easily become dehydrated. Read on →

Elder abuse is a growing and national epidemic that results in at least 500,000 seniors being abused every year. Unfortunately, elder abuse can take place in any setting—including one’s own home, a nursing home residence, a hospital or senior center. Elder abuse is widespread and affects seniors of any race, gender, culture, or economic background. The seniors who are most at risk to be abused tend to be isolated or disabled individuals with little to no familial support available to notice the signs of abuse. Read on →

The abuse of elders is a widespread and growing problem in America. Many, if not most, cases of elder abuse go unreported because the victims may fear retaliation or be unable to speak up for themselves, and even loved ones may be unaware of the warning signs. While there is no nationwide uniform reporting system, some experts believe that as many as 5 million aging adults experience abuse each year. According to The National Center on Elder Abuse, there are seven different types of elder abuse that may occur. Read on →

Financial exploitation is an often-forgotten aspect of elder abuse. Whether you are a senior citizen yourself, or you have aging loved ones, it is imperative to educate yourself and learn simple tips to help avoid financial abuse: Review your bank and credit card statements every month for unknown charges. Always protect your Social Security number, PIN numbers and passwords. Don’t be afraid to hang up on unwanted solicitor phonecalls. Never let anyone pressure you into a quick decision about spending your money. Read on →

We never know when we may need hospitalization or unexpected medical care. One way to protect our individual rights as a patient is to have an advance directive in place. An advance directive is a document that communicates to doctors the kind of care you want to have if you can’t make medical decisions for yourself. Advance directives provide direction on what you will allow physicians to do, and state what types of treatment you would not like to have. Read on →

Malpractice is a very serious issue in the medical industry, and few patients understand their exposure to the risk of malpractice at the hands of a physician they trust. The following are just two common types of medical malpractice, but keep in mind that there are countless other types of cases every day. Prescription Drug Errors By far, one of the most common forms of medical malpractice is prescription drug errors, and these may often be fatal. Read on →