Many families have no choice but to put an elderly loved one in a nursing home. It is difficult to provide proper care to someone as they age and these facilities offer around-the-clock help.
The biggest downside is that you have to put your loved one into the hands of people you do not know. The risk for abuse and neglect is high, but you may be able to use technology to help you watch over your loved one and keep him or her safe.
Keeping tabs through tech
The Washington Post explains using technology can enable you to stay on top of what is happening with your loved one in a nursing home. But the way you can use it may be different than you think.
Watching workers
You should start by becoming familiar with the workers who are close to your loved one. Learn their names and look them up on social media. If possible, follow their accounts. A recent situation at one facility revealed workers posting horrible activities involving residents on social media, which eventually helped authorities to save those residents.
Watch for anything questionable and go to the administration at the facility with concerns.
Policies
Another way to use technology to gauge the fitness of a facility is to ask about their phone policy. Do they allow workers to have their phones while on the clock? Watch for people with their phones out on your visits. Make sure they are not paying more attention to their phone than the residents.
Technology can be quite revealing. It can shed a light on issues at a nursing home that could point to potential abuse for your loved one. If you use technology smartly, you can make it a tool to help ensure your loved one stays safe.
