Sign of Negligence in a Nursing Home
When we put our loved ones in the care of nursing facilities, we put our trust in the staff to take care of them and to treat them with love, care and respect. But, unfortunately, sometimes these facilities are understaffed and the employees are overworked, underpaid and over their jobs. When this happens, negligence can occur and our loved ones may not receive the care they need and deserve.
If your loved one is in a nursing home, you should watch out for signs of negligence and consult an attorney right away if you suspect wrongdoing. Bertoldo, Baker, Carter & Smith represents nursing home residents and their families in cases involving negligence. To find out how we can help you, please contact us today.
Types of Negligence
When nursing home staff is negligent, our elderly loved ones suffer. Examples of negligence include:
- Leaving a patient in soiled clothes and sheets for long periods of time
- Not responding to patient requests and needs
- Failing to give a patient the right amount of medication at the right time
- Overmedicating a patient to get him or her to be quite
- Failing to treat bedsores
- Failing to clean the patient’s room and bathroom (leaving them in unsanitary conditions)
- Failing to feed the patient proper meals
- Ignoring a patient
You can watch for signs of negligence, and report them as soon as you feel something is wrong. Signs that negligence may be occurring include:
- Changes in your loved one’s behavior
- Weight loss and other signs of malnutrition
- Dirty hair or clothes
- Soiled sheets
- Untreated bedsores
- Patient crying when you leave (more than usual)
- Staff’s refusal to let you visit with your loved one alone
- Loved one acting sad or withdrawn
- Loved one over medicated or appearing out of it
When to Contact an Attorney
If you notice any of these signs, you should contact an attorney right away so he or she can start an investigation. If you are unsure, you should visit your loved one frequently at different times of the day so you can see how he or she is being treated by various staff members. You should also pay attention to how the staff interacts with other patients while you are visiting. Are patients being ignored? Do you smell foul odors or urine?
