Elder abuse is more common than most of like to admit. Seniors who have a high amount of physical care needs or who may be suffering from dementia are especially vulnerable to abuse. Elder abuse can happen in almost any circumstance, including in a nursing home, at the home of a family member or in the elder’s own home if they are receiving help from an in-home care worker.
If you are considering hiring a home health aide for an aging parent, here are some tips to prevent elder abuse:
- Hire a home health aide from a reputable company. There are many companies that train their employees on how to properly care for elder clients and who require their employees to meet qualification standards.
- Set up a camera in your parent’s home (or in your own home if your parent lives with you). You are allowed to set up a camera in most areas of a home (one exclusion is the bathroom) as long as you notify the in-home care worker that they may be recorded. This knowledge alone can go a long way towards preventing elder abuse.
- Communicate regularly with your parent. If your parent reports abuse, shows physical signs of abuse or seems scared or nervous around the home health aide, take these indicators seriously!
These three simple tips can help prevent or quickly address elder abuse by a home health aide so that your elderly parent can live out their golden years in safety and comfort.
Here at Care Placement, we don’t arrange for in-home care, but we partner with some companies with excellent reputations that do. Feel free to call us at (619) 660-8814, and we’ll send you their way.