- 1). Remove your family member or loved one from the facility immediately if you suspect he is being abused. Document any evidence of abuse; for example, photograph bruises or physical signs of abuse or write down any details that the patient tells you about the abuse. Collect names of people involved and any other specific information that the patient can remember. This information might help the investigators prosecute the offenders.
- 2). Call a helpline to find out which agency is appropriate for reporting the abuse. Ohio has several resources to handle abuse in long-term care situations, and the options can be confusing. The hotline for abuse in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is: 1-800-342-0533.
- 3). Report the abuse to the agency that the hotline service referred you to. For example, one possibility for reporting abuse is the State Long Term Care Ombudsman. As of 2011, the contact information for the ombudsman is:
State Long Term Care Ombudsman
Beverley Laubert
State LTC Ombudsman
Ohio Department of Aging
50 W Broad Street
9th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3363 - 4). Call the police if the abuse is severe, such as if the patient has physical injures that she claims were caused by someone at the nursing home or rehabilitation facility. The police can handle the matter directly or refer you to an agency.
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