Arlington, VA Nursing Home Lawyers
Arlington, VA nursing home lawyers can tell you that there are many federal and state laws that protect the patients that live in nursing homes and assisted living homes from abuse and neglect. Aside from these laws, patients also are entitled to personal rights such as the right to privacy and security rights.
Federal Nursing Home Regulations
All across America there are frequent reports to abuse and neglect in nursing homes. Because of this, congress came up with legislation which requires nursing homes to follow certain care rule requirements. This legislation is known as the Nursing Home Reform Act which states that “nursing homes must provide activities and services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of every resident” and that each resident must have a written plan of care.
According to Arlington, VA nursing home lawyers, federal nursing home regulations require nursing homes to:
- Have sufficient nursing staff
- Conduct initially many assessments of each resident’s functional capacities
- Develop written care plans for each resident
- Help residents with everyday needs like baths, dressing, grooming, transportation, toilet access, eating, and communication
- Provide residents with proper treatment plans and assistive devices that help maintain vision and hearing abilities
- Watch residents and make sure they do not develop pressure sores
- If a resident has pressure sores the nursing home must properly watch over the resident and treat them
- Ensure that the resident receives enough supervision and help to prevent any injury
- Maintain acceptable nutritional status
- Make sure each resident has sufficient fluid intake and stays properly hydrated and healthy
- Ensure that residents are taking all of their medications correctly
- Promote a positive quality of life
- Maintain dignity and respect of each resident
- Ensure that the resident is allowed to choose the activities, schedules, and health care they desire
- Provide pharmaceutical services that meet the needs of all residents living in the home.
- Be structured in a manner that enables all residents to use its resources effectively and efficiently
- Maintain accurate, complete, and easily accessible (to family members and residents) clinical records on each resident
State Nursing Home Regulations
Arlington, VA nursing home lawyers will likely inform you that any nursing home that receives Medicare or Medicaid funds has to (by law) comply with all federal nursing home regulations at a minimum. This however can vary from state to state because some states do have more regulations and stricter laws for nursing homes.
Humane Treatment
All nursing home residents have the right to make decisions like what time they want to go to bed and wake up, what time to eat meals and what activities they want to take part in.
Resident also should not take part in or be victims of:
- Physical or verbal abuse
- Drug abuse
- Personal property loss (including mail and private phone calls)
According to Arlington, VA nursing home lawyers, other humane rights include:
- Patients must be allowed to have visitors (within reasonable hours) and be able to forbid certain visitors of their choice.
- Family members must be able to access at any time
- The Facility is responsible for every patient’s behavior and must ensure the safety of all patients
If you believe you loved one’s rights have been violated in a nursing home, don’t hesitate to contact the experiences attorneys at Cohen & Cohen today to get the compensation you or your loved one deserves. Call us today to speak to experienced and skilled Arlington, VA nursing home lawyers on our team.
