How to Report Nursing Home Negligence in New Mexico

According to the Nursing Home Abuse Guide, over 3.2 million Americans live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. Though the majority of these residents are well-cared for, abuse and neglect are far more common than most people realize. As a result, many New Mexico residents witness the effects of elderly neglect. The trouble, though, is that some family members might not recognize the abuse for what it is. Others might have trouble figuring out how to report nursing home negligence in New Mexico.

If you entrusted a nursing home with your loved one’s welfare and feel that it violated that trust, a lawyer can help you pursue a case. New Mexico nursing home negligence is unacceptable, and Carabin Shaw is ready to take a stand.

According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, 95% of nursing home residents reported neglect within the past year. The four most common forms of elderly neglect are:

• Basic needs neglect: According to New Mexico attorneys, this type of neglect happens when a nursing home fails to provide residents with an adequate amount of food and water or clean, safe living conditions.
• Emotional and social neglect: Emotional and social neglect occurs when the patient is repeatedly ignored, left alone, or mistreated by overstressed staff. Due to embarrassment and shame, your loved one might be more reluctant to disclose this type of abuse.
• Medical neglect: Medical neglect happens when a nursing home fails to provide residents with sufficient attention, prevention, or treatment for bedsores, cognitive disorders, diabetes, infections, mobility issues, and more.
• Personal hygiene neglect: Personal hygiene neglect occurs when nursing facilities do not support residents in bathing, brushing their teeth, cleaning, doing laundry, or other hygienic practices. This type of neglect might be easiest for you to spot. If you notice lapses in your elderly relative’s hygiene, call our New Mexico nursing home negligence attorneys immediately.

New Mexico elder abuse lawyers can help you figure out what is happening to your loved one and what you should do next.

The New Mexico Department of Health advocates for continuous care that improves residents’ overall quality of life. State laws guarantee the following basic rights:

• Communication: Residents are allowed to have private, unrestricted communication with family members, doctors, and lawyers.
• Privacy: Nursing home residents have a right to physical and emotional privacy when it comes to their medical care, living arrangements, and emotional support.
• Individual care: Nursing home residents should receive care tailored to their specific needs. Additionally, staff should ensure that their personal hygiene is excellent. Residents should be well-groomed, and their rooms should be clean.
• Personalized medical care: Nursing home negligence lawyers in New Mexico know that a physician or other licensed healthcare worker must develop a personal treatment plan before a person even enters a care facility. This plan must have clear, measurable goals.

Additionally, attorneys know that nursing home residents should not be physically restrained without a direct order from a doctor (or, in extreme cases, an emergency that threatens the resident or others).

Consumers, family members, and the general public can report nursing home abuse, neglect, or exploitation directly to the New Mexico Department of Health. They can either print and mail a form or call a toll-free hotline. To report New Mexico nursing home negligence, call 1-800-445-6242. To file a health facility complaint, call 1-800-752-8649.

Making these calls alongside New Mexico elder abuse lawyers ensures that your claims are taken seriously. After you file a grievance with the state, you can move forward with a liability case against the nursing home.

Choosing an attorney can be overwhelming, but Carabin Shaw is here to make your decision easy. Our firm has decades of experience in defending clients’ rights.

For a free consultation, dial 915-779-2301 or call us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260.