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Causes & Forms of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Many corporate owners of nursing homes do not hire adequate numbers of qualified staff to properly care for their residents. Poorly qualified, inadequately trained, and overworked staff are not capable of addressing the demanding daily needs of nursing home residents. Most residents in nursing homes are dependent on the staff for most or all of their needs, including food, water, medicine, toileting, grooming, stimulation and turning. One out of four nursing homes in America does not provide quality care to their residents. Often, people living in substandard nursing homes have as much fear from abuse and neglect as they do from the diseases of old age.

Federal and State laws require that nursing homes develop a care plan and employ sufficient staffing to provide the care contained in the care plan. When understaffed, the nursing home cannot provide all of the care listed in the care plan. Abuse and neglect includes residents:

• not taken to the toilet when necessary
• left lying in urine and feces
• developing painful and life threatening pressure sores (decubitus ulcers)
• not fed properly
• not given sufficient fluids
• being over-medicated or under-medicated
• being dropped or allowed to fall - causing painful bruises and fractures
• not cleaned or groomed
• ignored and not included in activities
• left in bed all day
• not turned
• having call lights not answered promptly or not at all

Nursing home abuse and neglect is often difficult to detect. Residents are often not able to communicate their problems or concerns due to age or medical conditions, such as Alzheimer's. Additionally, nursing homes may try to "cover up" the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.

Any one or more of the following could indicate nursing home abuse or neglect and should be investigated:

• bedsores (also known as "pressure sores," "pressure ulcers" and "decubitus ulcers")
• falls resulting in injury
• skin rash
• urine and/or feces odor
• lack of attention to resident's personal hygiene
• skin tears
• bruises, contusions, or lesions
• bone fractures
• significant weight loss
• dehydration
• disorientation
• unexplained mood changes
• fear or anxiety (to people in general or to a particular care-giver)
• unexplained refusal or inability to communicate
• unjustified physical or chemical restraints

Please feel free to fill in our easy to use form on our Homepage with any question or concerns you may have about the legal rights of individuals or their families related to nursing home abuse or neglect.

If someone you love is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect call Mazur & Kittel, PLLC today at 800-990-6380 to arrange an a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys.

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