How to Ensure Your Loved One Is Getting Quality Care?

Get involved and keep informed.

Visit the nursing home on a regular basis and get to know the staff. Participate in your loved one's care plan meetings. This is a chance for you to voice your questions and concerns to the staff. Know your loved one's rights. Continue to follow up with Medicare or your state department for results of annual and quarterly inspections. This gives you another source of information for monitoring the nursing home.

Read your loved one's charts.

Under federal law, you have the right to read your loved one's charts. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand the charts, ask for a copy and find an independent source to review the information.

Document concerns.

Keep detailed records (date, time, persons involved). If the facility does not address your concerns, write a letter to the facility and carbon copy the state ombudsmen.

Attend or form resident advocate group.

Talk to other families with loved one's in the facility. All too often others are experiencing the same problems as your loved one. Discuss your concerns with others and send them to the state ombudsmen.

In our Wood River, Illinois, location, we conveniently represent clients in Alton, St. Clair, Madison, and St. Louis Counties, and throughout Illinois and Missouri.