Signs Of Nursing Home Neglect

Elderly loved ones who are confined to nursing homes are no longer able to care for themselves.  Nursing home care providers hold a professional duty to prevent patients from being injured and suffering.  Patients who are neglected in nursing homes do not receive the emotional, physical, and psychological care they need to maintain a good quality of life.  A facility or health care provider that neglects patients in a nursing home can be held liable the victim who has a legal right to seek compensation for their pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, nursing home neglect can be difficult for an elderly person to express.  In some cases they may not be physically or emotionally capable of conveying their experiences to a loved one.  There are, however, signs that may show that an elderly loved one is being neglected at the nursing home where they reside.  Signs of nursing home neglect include:

• Bed sores and ulcers
• Excessive and/or rapid weight loss
• Broken bones
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Unexplained falls
• Unclean conditions
• Open wounds, cuts, bruises, or welts
• Unexplained or unexpected death
• Injuries that result from restraints or lack of restraints

Nursing home neglect includes the:

• Failure to provide residents with appropriate food, clothing, and shelter
• Failure to assist residents with personal hygiene
• Failure to provide appropriate medical care
• Failure to prevent or treat a residents malnutrition and/or dehydration
• Failure to prevent a resident from falling
• Failure to take measure to prevent decubitus ulcers (or bed sores)

If you see evidence that your elderly loved one has been subject to nursing home neglect, you should take action as soon as possible.  Your loved one may be entitled to recover for compensation for economic damages such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages both past and future, the impairment of earning capacity, as well as other out of pocket expenses.  They may also be entitled to recover for non-economic damages such as inconvenience, diminished quality of life, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and physical impairment and disfigurement.  Contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.