If you suspect that your loved one is being abused in his or her nursing facility, you have rights in New Mexico to report this abuse and get it handled. Your loved one should not have to live in fear or in an abusive situation. However, you need to follow the guidelines to ensure the issue is reported properly.
According to the New Mexico Department of Health, when reporting nursing home abuse, you need to ensure you file your complaint under the correct relationship. If it is your loved one, then you would report as a family member. If your loved one can make his or her own report, then it would be under consumer.
You have a couple options when making your report. You may print a form and submit it by fax or you may call the Health Facility Complaints Hotline. You will be required to provide information about the facility, your loved one and the situation that prompted you to file the complaint. It is important that you have all the information you need before filing, especially if you are calling the hotline.
Gather the name and address of the facility and your loved one’s identifying information, such as social security number, birthday and full legal name. You also need to have all the information possible on the incident or incidents. You need to be able to explain what happened and how it happened, if possible. Also, be prepared to provide the date and time it happened. You may also want to have contact information for any medical personnel that may have checked out your loved one after the incident. This information is for education and is not legal advice.