We often get asked questions about in the event that I inform the nursing home staff, the Administrator, the Director of Nursing, or inform the Agency for Healthcare Administration about abuse and neglect of my loved one, will the nursing home staff retaliate against my mother or father?  It’s a concern that’s a legitimate concern, and something to think about, but what we have found is the contrary occurs.

When you apply a lot of heat and a lot of questions, and a lot of inquiries into potential abuse or neglect of your mother or father, guess what happens?  They get on the job.  They get to it.  And again, as we said earlier, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.  They cannot retaliate under law against your mom or dad in the event that you lodge a complaint against them.  And they typically do not.

And if you go into the facility and you’re on top of your mother or father in terms of the care and treatment that they’re getting, I wouldn’t worry about retaliation being a concern, but it is a legitimate question.