Nursing homes exist in large part because some families simply cannot meet all of the needs of older adults. Especially when people have debilitating conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease, they may need more monitoring and physical support than their family members can provide.
People pay thousands of dollars each month to have a room in a nursing home, ostensibly so that there are people to help them handle the tasks of daily life and oversee their medical support. Unfortunately, many older adults in nursing homes do not receive the kind of care that they require and instead end up sickened or injured as a result. If people can show that a facility affected someone’s health, they may be able to pursue a claim against the business. These are three of the common ways that nursing home residents end up injured or ill because of unprofessional practices at the facility where they live.
Preventable falls
Preventable falls are a leading cause of debilitating injury among older adults. Many of the falls that occur in nursing homes are preventable if only staff members would respond to resident requests in a timely manner. When people don’t receive support to help them go to the bathroom, dress themselves or socialize, they may try to handle matters on their own with unfortunate results.
Inadequate sanitation
Older adults generally tend to be more susceptible to illness and infection than people who are younger and have more robust immune systems. Many of the annual deaths caused by the flu, for example, involve those past the age of retirement. Staff members must make it a priority to keep facilities clean and to sanitize themselves and the tools that they handle in between patients and rooms. Otherwise, they might spread deadly pathogens, like the fungus Candida auris, or even pests like scabies and lice between residents.
Medical neglect
A topical fungal infection, a bed sore or a cold are all examples of health issues that nursing home staff can spot and take action to resolve before the matter becomes too serious. Unfortunately, all too often, inadequate medical monitoring and negligence toward individual residents can result in worsening infections and the progressive development of bedsores, which would mean that treatment becomes more expensive and the prognosis for the patient worsens.
When those in nursing homes or their loved ones can directly connect their medical or financial challenges with negligence at a facility, they may have grounds to file a claim against the facility. Seeking legal guidance is a good place to start.
