Previously on this blog, we touched on the recent Frontline exposé on assisted living communities that shed light on shocking abuses within an industry dedicated to helping some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The harrowing portrayal of greed in the upper tiers of this field was shocking for care professionals and the general public alike, leading many to ask how such personal tragedies could take place, and what can be done to prevent caregivers and recipients from falling victim to this neglect.
In an impassioned response to the PBS piece, Larry Minix of LeadingAge explained that as traumatic and potentially misleading as the exposé was, it can still act as a tool by which care managers can reevaluate the services they provide and instill greater safeguards to protect employees and care recipients.
“If you find yourself feeling or discussing the tension between filling beds and delivering good quality, you need to have a serious conversation with your board of directors and senior management staff,” writes Minix, adding that “you should do this because Frontline has exposed that when greed trumps compassion, bad things happen and residents and many others get hurt.”
The first step, according to Minix, is to review the following aspects of your residential community:
- Built-in procedures to ensure transparency and accountability
- The admission and discharge policies currently in place
- The ratio of trained staff and care recipients
- The training provided for caregivers and other employees who work directly with recipients
- Standards of care and how they are measured.
In reviewing these elements, you may be able to identify shortfalls or structural weaknesses that may leave your community vulnerable to potential abuse. In addition, introducing services that ease the burden on caregivers and empower care recipients can also help address these concerns. At Independa, we specialize in telecare services that were designed to provide caregiver support via remote monitoring, medical reminders and more. Our Angela interface also enables care recipients to remain in continual contact with family members, caregivers and other loved ones through email, video chat, Facebook and other mediums.
Contact us through our online form to learn more.
