| What Consumers Should Know About Complaints Against Senior Care Facilities. Practically all businesses and public agencies -- be it computers or automobiles, city hall or the local school district -- generate complaints. So do senior care facilities. The big difference, however, is that complaints about senior care facilities, unlike most other businesses and public agencies, are investigated by a government agency and the findings must be kept on file at the senior facility and made available to the public. Nearly all senior care facilities receive complaints. If the investigation determines the complaint is valid, the senior care facility must demonstrate that it has taken action to remedy the complaint and changed or instituted procedures to improve the care it provides. While it is important to check a facility’s complaint record when considering the best option for a family member, it is also helpful to understand why senior care facilities generate complaints. When caring for an aging parent or relative at home, all the effort and attention is devoted to a single individual. However, that comes with its own challenges -- primarily caregiver exhaustion, both physical and emotional. A senior care facility is able to avoid that problem by providing 24-hour care using three shifts of trained care givers and a large support staff. That means, however, that a resident is cared for by several different individuals every day. In this environment, a resident or their family member may perceive differences in the personalities and styles of caregivers on the staff. Additionally, there can be differences in communication skills and levels of staff experience. All this can lead to complaints --sometimes justified, sometimes not. The most helpful way for a consumer to evaluate the importance of the complaint record of a senior care facility is to talk about the issue with the facility manager. At reputable, well-run facilities, the manager will be be open and direct about the complaints and, most importantly, knowledgeable about the actions the facility has taken to address complaints and improve the quality of care for their residents. |
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