Finding out that your loved one has been abused or neglected while in a nursing home is a devastated feeling. Knowing that a patient is being abused or neglected in a nursing home is something that no employee should have to witness. However, nursing home negligence and abuse is happening more and more often; but there is something you can do about the situation. You can report it.

There are state agencies in the state of North Carolina such as the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service and several social service agencies in each county office. A nursing home complaint can be filed by anyone who witnesses, suspects, or has a true knowledge of nursing home abuse or neglect in the state of North Carolina. The complaint can be filed in regards staffing, treatment, care, safety, neglect, harm (unintentional), or abuse.

However, the complaint should only be filed after all attempts of resolving the problem with the facility have been extinguished. The first thing to do is to talk to the facility and see if there is something that can be done to stop the abuse or neglect. If they fail to respond to the problem, then filing a report or a complaint with the state would be the next step.

Once a report or a complaint is filed with the state agency, you may then want to consider hiring a lawyer to help you with your complaint or report. If harm such as pain, suffering, injury, or death resulted to your loved one as a result of the abuse or neglect, you may have a reasonable lawsuit against the nursing home. A lawyer will be able to help you determine the extent of your case and will be able to answer any questions and concerns you have about the report or the complaint that you filed.

Most complaints can be done in person or in writing. However, the state of North Carolina recommends that you make it in writing and keep a copy of the complaint or the report for your records. When writing your complaint, make sure that it contains the following information: your full name, address, phone number, and relationship to the resident(s) in question. The name and address of the nursing home facility should be included as should the names or descriptions of the involved staff. The date and time of the incident, the details of the event(s), and the records that may need to be examined should also be included in nursing home complaints. Included all information that you have regarding the abuse or negligence.

The state of North Carolina will begin the investigation on your report within one to two weeks after it is filed. You may also want to take pictures of your loved one to show the abuse or neglect. Sometimes, it may be hard to prove, but with a few pictures, you have a better chance of proving that the abuse or neglect really did occur.