Common Signs Of Nursing Home Neglect

We bring our elderly loved ones to elder care facilities, like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and group homes, because we know they need and deserve personal attention. We want the best care for our family members, many of whom need assistance in performing the basic tasks of daily living.

Nursing homes are responsible for providing this care professionally, compassionately, appropriately, and whenever it is needed. When they fail to do so, for whatever reason, they can be found responsible for neglecting their residents.

There are many types of nursing home neglect, which may be obvious or may be hidden behind closed doors and hard to spot. When we begin a case, we’re often asked what signs to look out for that neglect may be occurring in an elder care facility. Below, we’ve described some main types. Being aware of these signs is one of the essential steps in rooting out negligent conduct in nursing homes and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

As for-profit businesses, many nursing homes cut down on staff members to save money. The people that do work there may be over-worked or poorly-trained. Many residents, on the other hand, may require assistance in performing basic tasks, like cleaning themselves or changing their clothes. When they are not assisted in their efforts, a situation of nursing home neglect is present. The signs of poor hygiene become more and more pronounced as time passes.

Often, our elderly loved ones find it difficult to communicate, even with family members. This can make identifying emotional neglect extremely difficult. Unfortunately, emotional withdrawal caused by nursing home neglect can be just as damaging as physical abuse.

Overworked nursing home staff members may fail to engage residents appropriately. They may even lash out at them in anger or depression.

Elderly residents of nursing homes often require extensive medication regimes to remain healthy. We’ve handled several cases in which nursing homes, looking to cut costs, failed to administer the proper amount of medication to an elderly patient. For more information, see our Medication Errors page.

Furthermore, we’ve seen basic medical treatments withheld. A lack of proper medical attention can lead to serious conditions and even death. Bed sores and open wounds are two physical signs of potential nursing home neglect.

Although falls are fairly common in elder care facilities, like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and group homes, they are often avoidable accidents. Unfortunately, many nursing homes nationwide do not take the proper precautions in preventing falls among their residents. In some cases, these are the result of negligent conduct.