Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing homes are like day care centers for the elderly people. They are taken care of in the best of ways, provided with sufficient food and water, introduced to new friends, and treated for any illnesses they might be facing.

Family members can become enraged when they find out a loved one is not taken care of properly or is provided with a medicine that leads to death. In case of severe situations, you will require the help of a wrongful death law firm that will not only bring justice for the death of your loved one due to the institutes negligence but also help you in successfully making your case strong.

Nursing home abuse is somewhat like nursing home neglect but they are not the same. Nursing home neglect is the failure of performing duties in caring for patients that may cause harm to the patients. Whereas, nursing home abuse is an intentional harm to the elderly people of the society.

Types

Nursing home neglect varies depending on the type of harm caused to the individual. Generally, nursing home neglect is classified into four categories:

1. Social or emotional neglect: This is where elderly people are ignored, accidentally snapped at, or left alone repeatedly by a nursing home staff.
2. Personal sanitization neglect: This occurs when the patients are not provided with sufficient help for hygienic practices like cleaning, bathing, laundry, or brushing their teeth.
3. Neglect of basic needs: This is when a nursing home does not provide the reasonable food and water or a clean and safe environment essential for a healthy lifestyle.
4. Medical Neglect: This is when a nursing home does not provide sufficient attention, anticipation or the required medication for health concerns like infections, bedsores, diabetes, cuts, mobility concerns, and/or cognitive diseases.

Signs

It is a difficult process to pinpoint nursing home neglect. Depending on the type of neglect, it is a possibility that physical signs of abuse may not be present. Behavioral changes are identified best when the elderly are living close to loved ones. If an elderly individual does not meet with his/her family occasionally, they may face difficulties in expressing themselves.

Warning Signs related to nursing home neglect

• Noticeable weight loss
• Pressure ulcers or bedsores
• Injuries that may have been caused by nursing home tumbles
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Unusual changes in the behavior of elderly people
• A noticeable change in the appearance or personal hygiene of the elderly individual
• A growing and noticeable lack or change in the interaction of the elderly with other residents of the nursing home
• Safety hazards found in the patient’s room such as slippery floors, poor lighting, unsafe mobility or any kind of unsafe furniture.

Nursing home neglect can prove to be fatal for elderly people. Therefore, when their loved ones visit them they can easily notice signs of nursing home neglect like bedsores, dehydration, or malnutrition. The case should immediately be reported, and a nursing home neglect law firm should be contacted. If a case goes unnoticed, it can be a situation of life and death.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact Fisk & Monteleone today at 815-962-0044 to speak with an experienced attorney on this topic.