Choosing a nursing home for your loved one is never an easy decision.

Ultimately, though, you believe that a nursing home is the best option for keeping your loved one safe. When you discover that the nursing home you entrusted your loved one to acted negligently and caused injury, it is normal to feel angry and upset. Your trust was betrayed, and someone you love was hurt in the process.

Unfortunately, nursing home neglect is more common than most people realize. At Haymond Law, we are passionate advocates of victims of nursing home neglect and their families. You deserve a skilled, experienced legal team to set things right. Let us help hold those responsible accountable, and ensure you get fair compensation in the process.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

There are a variety of ways that a nursing home can injure a resident. Some of these include:

Bedsores

Bedsores are probably the most common type of injury caused by negligence in a nursing home. Bedsores can be prevented, but it takes regular care and attention to do so. If the nursing home is neglectful, bedsores often result.

Violent Crime

Nursing home patients often make easy victims for violent individuals. There have been numerous cases of nursing home staff acting violently towards patients, which can lead to serious injuries and even be fatal.

Malnutrition

Providing proper nutrition is part of the overall care delivered at a nursing home. Staff is trained to ensure that patients receive the nutrients they need and that they do not get more of any nutrient than they should have. When staff fails in their duties malnutrition can occur.

Falling Injuries

The elderly are prone to falling and injuries related to falling. While older patients may tend to fall more, nursing homes should account for this and provide a relatively safe space for patients. Otherwise, patients wind up falling more often than they should, and sometimes they break bones in the process.

Infections

There are safety procedures that every nursing home is expected to follow that help to avoid infection. When a nursing home tries to cut corners, does not train staff properly, or is careless, infections often follow. They can range from mild and easily treatable to severe and life-threatening.

Dehydration

Even more dangerous than malnutrition, dehydration can occur quickly if nursing home staff do no work to ensure that all patients are properly hydrated.

Bad Hygiene

Nursing home patients are at a high risk of contracting illnesses and infections, which is why nursing home staff are supposed to maintain a certain level of hygiene among themselves and throughout the home. Hands should be washed, bathrooms kept clean and patients kept hygienic.

Incorrect Medications

Medication should be carefully managed in nursing homes to ensure that patients always get the right medication and the right dosage. Administering the wrong medication or the wrong dosage can cause serious injuries and even be fatal.

Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse of patients should not be tolerated in a nursing home facility. Unfortunately, sometimes staff can abuse patients repeatedly before they are caught in the act.

Ignoring Communication from Patients

When a patient attempts to communicate something to nursing home staff, their communication should not fall on deaf ears. Continued neglect of this kind can lead to injuries that are completely avoidable. Listening to patient needs is one duty of nursing home staff that should never be neglected.

Wrongful Death in a Nursing Home

Wrongful death is the legal term for a situation where someone dies due to negligence. For instance, if the nursing home gave your loved one the wrong medication and it lead to his or her death, it could lead to a wrongful death lawsuit. If you suspect that your loved one died due to nursing home abuse or neglect, you should contact our firm immediately.

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

While the signs of nursing home abuse or neglect may not always be obvious, there are things you can look for. These may include:

  • Frequent injuries
  • Fear of staff
  • Unusual behavior
  • Frequent illnesses
  • Under heavy medication
  • Rapid weight gain
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Avoiding contact with others
  • Broken bones
  • Dirty or unsanitary conditions in the nursing home
  • The patient will avoid speaking in front of staff

Nursing home abuse can be difficult to identify for families and loved ones for a variety of reasons. There may be signs that you are uncertain of. Often the only way to be certain of abuse is to have an outside party investigate the situation. Our firm is experienced in identifying nursing home neglect, and we can help you get a clear picture of what is really happening with your loved one.