Older adults typically wind up living in a nursing home when their family members can no longer safely meet their needs. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes provide an adequate standard of care to their residents. For some people living in nursing homes, their time in that facility results in physical or emotional injury due to either abuse or neglect.
Neglect is a common issue in many nursing homes
Neglect is arguably a more prevalent issue in nursing homes than outright abuse, although it’s hard to get a firm figure on how often either occurs. While there are bad apples in nursing homes who mistreat the people in their care, many older adults suffer not due to physical or emotional abuse but neglect from the people charged with their care.
That neglect can result in preventable issues, such as bedsores, pest infestations like scabies and falls. Falls in nursing homes should not happen, as the risk for a fall is frequently one of the reasons that people want a loved one to move in to the nursing home in the first place.
Why do people fall in a nursing home?
A number of factors can influence the kind of care your loved one gets. Personal discrimination by staff members because they don’t like your loved one is one risk. Another possible issue stems from understaffing, meaning there aren’t enough people to perform all of the services necessary. There may also be issues with the system through which residents reach out to staff members, making it hard for people to get the care they need when they need it.
When staff members aren’t readily available, older adults may try to undergo activities that they know they can’t safely perform, such as going to the bathroom alone or attempting to dress themselves. Those efforts may result in a fall that could have long-term medical consequences for older adults. Broken bones and contusions can require more care and time to heal and can lead to serious, even fatal complications. If you believe that a loved one’s injury in a nursing home was the result of negligence, it may be wise to seek legal advise.
