The challenges of securing appropriate long-term care are often only understood at the exact moment when that care is needed. After a sudden medical emergency, accident, or other change in condition, many families discover that an elder loved one is in need of long-term help to get by each day. These families then face two difficult questIons: (1) How are we going to pay for it?; (2) How do we know that the quality of the caregivers is sufficient?
For one thing, the financing of long-term care can be secured in many different ways. A NY elder law attorney can explain what options are available in your specific case. Those options may involve insurance, the use of Medicaid Asset Protection trusts, or other unique strategies to save funds even when on the nursing home doorstep. There is no getting around the fact that elder care is quite expensive–startling so–but planning ahead with professionals can save significant sums.
But paying for care is only part of the battle. It is also critical that family members ensure their love ones actually receive the care they deserve, no matter what facility they enter. Sadly, without proper oversight, seniors may face severe neglect or outright abuse by those charged with their well being.
For example, just recently News 12 shared information on criminal charges filed against one nursing home aide after video footage was taken alleging showing the aide abusing a resident. The nursing home worker in the Bronx is now looking at jail time as a result of the criminal charges.
The resident in question is 89-years old and suffers from dementia. One afternoon, the senior’s granddaughter was visiting when she noticed suspicious bruises on the elder’s body. Growing alarmed, the granddaughter told nursing home caregivers about the situation. She also set up a small camera in the room, hoping to catch mistreatment if it occurred. Sadly, mistreatment is exactly was she found. According to reports, the video footage shows one caregiver slamming the elderly woman into her bed, banging against bedrails, and causing harm to her frail body. The worker in the video is now was facing elder abuse charges which could keep her in jail for more than a year. Three other workers were also fired by the facility in connection with the event, but it is unclear if they were involved in the neglect or if they were let go for other reasons–like failing to report the mistreatment they witnessed.