Help Eliminate Eldercare Abuse

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Ending Eldercare Abuse – Abuse comes from my different sources and when inflicted leaves more than just physical scars.

Unreported and unattended abuse whether physical, emotional, sexual or verbal can leave permanent damage to someone’s body and mind. Bessie Lane Davis was a dear woman who lived live to the fullest and loved her children and grandchildren. So, why did she die? Why was her life ended?

abusedPlaced in a nursing home because of her fragile condition and hoping she received the care needed, Bessie Lane became the object of one person’s frustrations, anger and rage as she pleaded with this large woman to stop beating her for no reason.

But, her cries were unheard and the result you need to understand as daughter Diane recounts a chilling story of one woman’s cry for help. Upon learning that an aide in the home beat her mother, she was in, Diane and her family investigated to find out what happened.

But, the doctor in charge, the staff at the home was not very forthcoming and as a result of being moved to another home, she passed away quite fast. Excuses, cover-ups, lack of training, ignoring the signs and much more are just some of the ways these homes get away with the poor management, care and definite abuse of their precious residents.

Ending Eldercare Abuse is not just a guide to helping you learn the warning signs, the areas of abuse, who inflicts the abuse but it is much more: It is one woman’s story that you need to hear and those of many others who shared their nightmares and experiences with our two outstanding authors.

Becoming an advocate for the elderly, contacting government agencies, officials, politicians and helping to get many laws enacted and passed, Diane Sandell has become a real leader in helping to get the message out there that this is one area that needs to be addressed and with everyone’s awareness and support can be eliminated.

But first, families need to be more vigilant, nursing homes accountable, staff properly trained and structure in place before any real action or positive outcomes will result. Meeting with many nursing home officials, enlisting the help of several lawyers and government agencies Mrs. Sandell started Noble in order to provide help for those families that had no idea where to find it. With her persistent drive for answers to her questions, with her diligence making sure others would be protected many laws in California were passed and many people would now learn their rights and much more.

But within this great guide are many resources for the families that need help, guidelines that nursing homes, doctors, and hospitals must learn to adhere to and follow and every bit of recourse that you can take if a family member is abused by anyone, caregiver, nursing home, police, aide or anyone else.

One great piece of information that I find vital is knowing that at admission your family member should be properly assessed by the medical staff, plan of care in place, you need to have copies of everything and be present at all times during these exams and taking photos of family members when entering and throughout the course of their stay, with dates stamped in the photo is vital.

But, there is much more to what these authors are saying, to you the reader, the medical profession, politicians, nursing home administrators and family members in deed of begin reeducated in how to protect the elderly. Network Outreach Better Living For the Elderly was created by Diane Sandell to make everyone aware that eldercare abuse exists, is not going away but needs to be addressed. Throughout this book you will learn the many steps needed before placing a family member in a nursing home or any long-term facility.

The author created a five- step plan for evaluating and Improving Eldercare that you can read in Chapter 15. Coping with your feelings of love, guilt, fear and much more is discussed in Chapter 16. But the stories of people who reached out to Diane, those she helped and inspired to follow in her path by becoming advocates, ombudsman, and support really made a great impact on this reviewer. With a mother who has Alzheimer’s who is home with 24-hour home health aides, I realize that many people have a need to place parents in these facilities when they cannot handle the care.

The author gives the reader, the family the tools that are needed to make sure that what happened to her mother and so many countless others does not happen to your loved one. Most important, you need to be visible and present when exams are done, changes are made and medication is delivered. You need to make sure that the staff is aware that you are a definite presence in this person’s life. You need to make sure that if you see any bruises, bedsores, infections or anything out of the ordinary that it is reported and addressed immediately.

You need to make sure that the doctors do not put you off when you need questions answered. Finally the authors included several Appendixes at the end of the book, which helps to define the necessary terms regarding the definition of Eldercare Abuse, and what are the warning signs. Defining Durable Power of Attorney, How to Evaluate a Facility, what questions to ask, what documents you need and choosing the right long-term facility and making sure you research one you choose for complaints, doctors and staff credentials and more.

Visit the facility unannounced and take several tours of the different units that handle the many different types of patients. In addition the authors include the rights of the patients and many things you can do to get involved. Eldercare Abuse is not something to be pushed under the rug or taken lightly. Everyone gets older and you need to discuss with family members before the situation arises your final wishes, your medical desires and where you want to live out your years and create a will, living will and assign an advocate to speak and care for you that you can trust.

One woman, Diane Sandell has made a difference in many lives and reading this book can make a big difference in yours. With a parent who was a victim of hospital neglect and abuse, I stand alongside this author and have become a staunch advocate for helping to end this horrific abuse. Diane: You will never walk alone and Bessie Lane Davis is smiling down on you and Lois Hudson.

Authors: Diane Sandell and Lois Hudson

2 Comments
  1. Avatar of Paula Shene
    Paula Shene says

    Thank you for bringing this book to our attention…as you say we, are all getting older and myself being a caregiver for my husband who has LBD akin to Alzheimer’s – I pray that I outlive him so he can remain at home. When this first came upon him, he asked me not to put him in a home and I have had to do much research in order to understand what needs to be done as this ‘monster’ overtakes, leaving only the shell of the loved one.

    There is much frustration in society today and the signs of abuse in all stages of age must be known and recognized and stopped.

  2. Avatar of Jack Eason
    Jack Eason says

    Gabina,

    Eldercare abuse in hospitals is a hot topic at the moment here in the UK. Plus callous attacks on the elderly by robbers gaining entry to pensioners in their own homes. Just yesterday, an individual was finally brought to justice and sent to prison for his reign of terror on the elderly in the suburb where he lived.

    Thank you for this article,

    Jack

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