How do you put someone in a nursing home against their will in Illinois? No one wants their elderly parents to live the rest of their lives in assisted living communities or nursing homes, especially in Chicago. However, for some elderly people, this is the only option, especially as they develop physical health problems and start losing mental capacity, which threatens their safety and well-being. Maybe you’re watching your elderly parents suffer from a lack of daily medical care at their own home, and they are refusing to go to a nursing home or assisted living community in their golden years.
Chicago nursing home lawyers at Curcio & Casciato recognize and understand how difficult it can be to persuade an elderly parent to go to a nursing home or assisted living facility in these golden years, especially if the elderly parent refuses. Our Chicago elder abuse attorneys are passionate about protecting the rights of elderly people and their family members in these difficult situations.
When an elderly parent refuses to go to a nursing home or assisted living community but doesn’t have the mental capacity to provide for their own well-being or have the money for in-home care, comments from other family members tend to make adult children feel an extreme sense of guilt.
If you feel guilty, please understand that many families go through situations where adult children feel they need to legally force an elderly parent to go to a nursing home or senior living community in Illinois.
If your elderly parents are in a Chicago nursing home or assisted living community, our Chicago elder law attorney team can help you understand how to remove a patient from a nursing home legally, how to avoid relocation stress syndrome, and types of nursing home abuse to look out for in Chicago nursing homes and assisted living communities.
If your elderly parent or family member cannot afford in-home care but needs daily health care or specific dementia care, our Chicago elder abuse attorneys can help you understand how to choose a nursing home in Illinois and answer common questions, such as “Can social services force someone into a nursing home?“
For a free consultation with a seasoned Chicago elder law attorney, call 312-321-1111 today.
How To Tell Your Parent They Need To Go To a Nursing Home
Having a conversation about nursing home placement with a parent can be incredibly challenging, but it’s essential to approach it with empathy, honesty, and respect. Start by expressing your concerns and observations about their health and safety needs, emphasizing that your primary goal is to ensure they receive the best possible senior care.
Listen to their concerns and feelings, acknowledging their fears and apprehensions about transitioning to a long-term care facility. Provide information about the benefits of nursing facility care, such as access to around-the-clock medical care and social activities with other nursing home residents. Involve them in the decision-making process as much as possible, offering choices for nursing homes and allowing them to maintain a sense of control over their life.
Be patient and understanding with your parent, recognizing that it may take time for them to come to terms with the idea.
Above all, reassure your parent that your love and support will continue throughout this journey. If needed, seek professional guidance, such as healthcare providers or social workers, to facilitate the discussion and explore available options.
At Curcio & Casciato, our compassionate elder law attorneys provide legal advice and support to many families navigating the process of nursing home placement, ensuring the well-being and dignity of our elderly community in Chicago.
Can Social Services Force Someone Into a Nursing Home?
Social services cannot force an elderly person into a nursing home or assisted living facility if the elderly parent refuses unless adult children or other family members prove that it’s the only option and there isn’t a better alternative.
- The elderly person can’t safely provide for their own well-being.
- The elderly person requires round-the-clock senior care.
- In-home care isn’t an option.
- Family members can’t be the primary caregiver.
- The elderly person has a decreased mental capacity needing specialized health care, such as dementia care.
This means that social workers cannot intervene regarding senior care decisions unless they see that an elderly person is suffering outside of skilled nursing home care at a long-term care facility. For example, Social Services or Adult Protective Services cannot intervene unless your elderly loved one cannot be alone for their own well-being.
The goal of a social worker is to help elderly people by keeping them safe and healthy while allowing them as much autonomy as possible. Sometimes, assisted living communities are the best solution for senior care, even if they are the last resort.
What is Adult Protective Services?
Adult Protective Services (APS) is a government agency dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of vulnerable adults who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. When considering placing a loved one in a nursing home against their will, contacting Adult Protective Services may become necessary if your elderly parent needs protection and your parent refuses to go to a nursing home or assisted living facility. Adult Protective Services investigates reports of senior abuse or neglect and provides interventions and services to ensure the safety and well-being of the adult in question.
These services may include arranging for assisted living arrangements, coordinating senior living care, or providing support services to help the individual remain safely in their own home.
If you suspect that your loved one is in danger or unable to care for themselves, contacting Adult Protective Services can be an essential step in ensuring their safety and addressing their needs.
What is a Power of Attorney (POA)?
A power of attorney is a document that appoints an adult child or other family members to make financial or medical decisions on behalf of an elderly parent or elderly loved one, especially if they cannot make their own decisions.
Power of attorney for elderly people also provides specific instructions about what the elderly person wants for medical care or financial management. Generally, the person appointed is called the agent.
Many elderly people will appoint a trusted friend or adult child as their agent so that they can receive the senior care that they desire, especially when their physical health declines or they don’t have the mental capacity to do so.
Uniform POA Act
The Uniform Power of Attorney (POA) Act offers standardized guidelines for creating and implementing power of attorney documents, which are particularly crucial for the elderly and their families navigating decisions about nursing home care. This Uniform Power of Attorney (POA) Act simplifies the process of establishing legally binding documents that accurately reflect the wishes of elderly parents regarding their physical care and finances.
By following the provisions outlined in this act, families can ensure that their loved ones’ POA documents meet legal requirements and effectively empower designated agents to make financial or medical decisions.
Understanding the nuances of the Uniform Power of Attorney (POA) Act is essential for elderly people and their family members facing the challenging decision of nursing home placement, as it can impact the authority granted to agents and the validity of decisions made in the best interest of the elderly person.
The compassionate Chicago personal injury attorneys at Curcio & Casciato specialize in guiding families through the intricacies of the Uniform Power Of Attorney Act, offering tailored legal options to ensure the well-being and dignity of elderly loved ones during this sensitive transition.
What An Agent Can Do for a Family Member or Loved One
An agent can decide:
- Whether they should admit their loved one from a nursing home or hospital
- Whether they should release their loved one from a nursing home or hospital
- Which medications or treatments their loved ones should or shouldn’t receive
- Which medical professionals are best suited to provide medical care for their loved one
- Who can access their loved one’s medical records
It’s important to remember that an agent can only make financial or medical decisions like this if their loved one can’t make these decisions by themselves. The agent is also required to honor the wishes of their loved one while deciding on major medical care.
Another important thing to remember is that the agent can only make financial or medical decisions based on the senior citizen’s financial means. So if the senior can’t afford to live in an assisted living facility, they can’t just send them there for free.
What If I Don’t Have a Power of Attorney?
If you don’t have a power of attorney, the people listed below (in order of priority) can make financial or medical decisions for you if you’re unable to:
- The conservator or guardian appointed
- Partner or spouse
- Children who are over the age of 18
- A sibling that’s over the age of 18
- Close friend
- Nearest living family member
Power of Attorney for Health Care vs. Living Will
When navigating the process of placing a loved one in a nursing home against their will, understanding the distinctions between a Power of Attorney for Health Care and a Living Will is crucial.
A Power of Attorney for Health Care grants a designated individual the authority to make medical decisions for the incapacitated person, ensuring their medical care needs are met even if the elderly person cannot communicate their wishes.
On the other hand, a Living Will outlines specific healthcare preferences and treatments the elderly person wishes to receive or avoid in certain medical situations, providing clarity and guidance to healthcare providers and family members.
While both documents serve to protect an individual’s healthcare interests, they serve distinct purposes and can complement each other in ensuring comprehensive senior care. The experienced attorneys at Curcio & Casciato can provide tailored guidance on the appropriate use of these legal instruments and help families navigate the complexities of nursing home placement decisions with compassion and expertise.
How to Get Someone Admitted to a Nursing Home
Maybe you’re a worried friend or family member reading this and wondering how to choose a nursing home in Illinois and how you can legally force your elderly parent or loved one into a nursing home as a last resort. Essentially, the only way adult children or other family members can legally do this is by obtaining guardianship of your loved one.
What is Legal Guardianship?
Legal guardianship, also called conservatorship, is a legal arrangement where a court appoints an individual or entity to make decisions on behalf of a person who doesn’t have the mental capacity or is otherwise unable to make financial or medical decisions for themselves.
In the context of placing an elderly parent or loved one in a nursing home against their will, obtaining guardianship may be necessary if the individual lacks the mental capacity to make decisions about their own care and safety.
When you obtain guardianship, you are the legal guardian, also known as a conservator, and are typically granted authority over various aspects of the incapacitated person’s life, including healthcare, finances, and living arrangements.
This legal process provides a mechanism for ensuring that the well-being of the elderly person is protected, particularly when they are unable to advocate for themselves. The attorneys at Curcio & Casciato have extensive experience assisting families in obtaining legal guardianship for loved ones in need of nursing home placement, offering compassionate guidance and advocacy throughout the process.
Guardian Ad Litem
In situations where someone needs to be placed in a nursing home against their will, the appointment of a guardian ad litem may become necessary. A guardian ad litem is a court-appointed individual tasked with representing the well-being of the incapacitated person during legal proceedings, including those related to guardianship. This impartial advocate conducts investigations, assesses the individual’s needs and wishes, and presents recommendations to the court regarding the proposed nursing home placement.
While the guardian ad litem’s fees are typically paid by the party requesting guardianship, they play a crucial role in safeguarding the rights and well-being of the elderly person. At Curcio & Casciato, our elder law attorney team understands the importance of navigating the guardianship process effectively and can provide invaluable assistance in working with guardian ad litems to ensure the best alternative for our clients and their elderly parents and loved ones.
How to Obtain Guardianship of a Senior Citizen
Oftentimes, a senior citizen’s adult child, other family members, or Adult Protective Services (APS) will start the lengthy guardianship process. Judges, Adult Protective Services staff, neuropsychiatrists, psychologists, and elder law attorneys will generally be involved. The person pursuing the guardianship will have to pay for the senior citizen’s legal counsel, all physical or mental evaluations by medical professionals, and various other court fees.
If all doctors and Adult Protective Services staff members determine that the senior citizen no longer has the mental capacity to care for themselves, can’t make sound decisions, has a high risk of falling as determined by a fall risk assessment, and can’t provide their own care, then the person pursuing the guardianship will likely win.
If the guardian wins, the court will likely provide limits over their authority for the sake of providing as much autonomy to the senior citizen as possible. For example, the court may allow the guardian to decide where the senior citizen lives, what kind of physical care they receive, and how their money is managed. If a guardian acts outside of the court-ordered authority, they may have to spend more time in court.
How Do I Know If I Need to Go to a Nursing Home?
If you’re a senior citizen, you may worry that either social services, Adult Protective Services, or other family members will violate your rights and wishes as you get older by forcing you into a long-term care facility. Of course, many families don’t do this with evil intentions. Generally, loved ones decide about nursing homes with your well-being and best interests in mind. Your family may determine that a senior living community is your best option for the reasons listed below.
You Need 24/7 Care
As you get older, you may struggle to care for yourself like you always have. This means that you’ll need friends, family, or even a primary caregiver to meet your daily needs. Providing constant in-home care can feel impossible for many loved ones of seniors because they often have jobs, kids, and other responsibilities. Unfortunately, most families feel that they can’t provide appropriate physical care for their senior loved one, and therefore, the best alternative is a long-term care facility.
You Don’t Have the Mental Capacity to Make Sound Decisions
Some seniors develop severe mental and neurological issues in their old age, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. If this is the case for you, your doctor and loved ones will likely have to make health decisions for you, especially if you feel confused and have periods where you don’t feel comfortable making safe decisions. This is because it’s dangerous for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients to remain living in their own homes without constant support.
There are many assisted living facilities across Illinois that provide dementia care for seniors.
You Require Respite Care
Respite care is often required for seniors who are recovering from a major procedure or a lengthy hospital stay. For example, maybe you’re recovering from a back injury, and your doctor says you’re well enough to leave the hospital but not to go home alone. That’s when friends or family may suggest an assisted living facility with respite care while you finish healing.
You Can’t Afford Home Health Care
Many loved ones prefer in-home care for their senior parents or loved ones in their own homes. Unfortunately, hiring a full-time nurse in your home is often more expensive than long-term assisted living facilities, even with health insurance. However, the exact rates depend on the state, the assisted living center, and home health care providers. Monetary situations like this often leave social services with no choice but to take seniors to an assisted living facility to receive nursing home care.
Can Family Members Be Held Liable for Allowing an Elderly Parent to Live Alone?
In Illinois, family members are generally not held legally liable for allowing an elderly parent to live alone. The decision for an elderly individual to live independently is often respected as a matter of personal choice, and as mentioned, generally, laws are outlined for them to have as much autonomy as possible.
However, there could be exceptions if a family member is a designated legal guardian appointed, a primary caregiver, or has assumed a specific legal duty of care, and their negligence directly leads to harm. For example, if the guardian appointed fails to provide necessary in-home care or knowingly allows the elderly person to live in unsafe conditions, they might be held responsible.
It’s important to understand that each situation is unique, and liability can depend on specific circumstances, including the elderly individual’s mental and physical health and the legal arrangements in place. Consulting with a legal professional in elder law is advisable for precise guidance.
Chicago Nursing Home Attorneys
Not everyone wants their elderly parents to spend the rest of their lives in an assisted living community. It’s often a tough and emotional decision for the loved ones and the senior citizen. Similarly, no one wants to feel like they have no choice but to obtain guardianship over a senior citizen. Whatever your situation is, an elder law attorney at Curcio Law Offices wants to protect your legal rights.
Our Chicago elder abuse attorneys also provide representation for senior citizens suffering from nursing home negligence and elder abuse. We also handle Chicago nursing home bed sore claims, Chicago nursing home malnourishment claims, and Chicago nursing home falls claims.
For more information on how we can help you, call 312-321-1111 today to discuss your legal options.
