Iowa nursing home neglect or abuse happens more often than you’d think. If your loved one has been injured or killed because of someone else’s fault, you need to take steps to make those parties accountable for their actions.
Here’s why you need to report nursing home neglect and abuse: to stop what’s happening to your loved one – and perhaps even future residents – you need to report the bad acts. Hopefully, once this bad behavior is reported, it will stop.
In addition to that, you want a record of what happened to your loved one. The reporting of the abuse or neglect begins that process. That’s why you need to have the courage to report these bad acts.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse You Need to Report
There are several types of abuse or neglect that you may need to report. These could include:
· Physical abuse
· Sexual abuse
· Financial abuse
· Any negligence in staff not doing their job – and your loved one becoming injured because of it.
This last one may seem a little vague, but it relates to what your loved one may need. For instance, if the nursing home staff’s job is to prevent your loved one from falling, but your loved one keeps falling regardless, then you need to report this negligence.
Other issues that you may need to report include malnutrition and dehydration. Many individuals in nursing homes need help staying hydrated because they are not physically able to lift cups or glasses. If they are not assisted by nursing home staff, they can easily become dehydrated.
Lack of skin care is another issue that needs to be reported. Pressure sores need to be watched closely and cleaned often. If staff is not doing so, it needs to be reported.
Reporting Nursing Home Negligence in Iowa
If you believe there’s any life-threatening danger happening to your loved one, do not hesitate to call 911 and get them moved to safety. Making sure they are safe is the most important thing. Once you do so, don’t be afraid to report what you saw and heard.
Many of our clients are afraid to report because they know they can’t be at the nursing home all the time and fear that reporting nursing home abuse or neglect could lead to further poor treatment when they’re not present. If you feel this way, we recommend moving your loved one before you report the negligence.
In Iowa, you want to report the abuse or neglect to the administrator and the director of nursing at the care facility. You also need to report the negligence to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. This is the agency that is responsible for the licensure of nursing homes in Iowa. The IDIA makes sure these facilities follow both the state and federal rules and regulations.
You can make your report to the IDIA on the telephone or online. When you make this complaint, you can choose to do so anonymously. Make sure to outline your concerns, including any names or dates you recall. The IDIA then has an obligation to investigate your claims, which will document what happened to your loved one.
Due to COVID and heavy workloads, it may take the IDIA some time to complete the investigation. If there are any requests the IDIA has, be sure to be responsive.
While waiting for the IDIA to investigate your claims, we recommend you speak with an experienced Iowa nursing home abuse lawyer. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation to Iowans whose loved ones have been abused or neglected in a nursing home.
To schedule yours, call 1-800-433-0283 today.
