Qualities of Nursing Home Neglect

Qualities of Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home residents depend on caregivers to meet their needs. Unfortunately, at some facilities, residents aren’t given adequate care. Not only can this neglect cause emotional harm, but it can also lead to serious injuries and even death.

If your loved one suffered neglect at a nursing home in Illinois, The Rooth Law Firm is here to help. Our team of experienced nursing home neglect attorneys will fight to make sure that the responsible parties are held accountable.

What Is Nursing Home Neglect?

According to Illinois Nursing Home Care Act Sec. 1-117, “neglect” is a failure to provide adequate medical or personal care, treatment, rehabilitation, or any assistance essential to the resident’s daily living in the home care facility to avoid harm and illness.

Even if you’re not sure that a loved one is being neglected, it can be helpful to speak with lawyers for nursing home neglect. Our attorneys can answer your questions and listen to your concerns. If you’re afraid that your loved one isn’t getting appropriate care, we want to ensure that those worries are taken seriously.

Causes

Neglect occurs for many reasons. While some neglect is intentional, it can also be caused by insufficient staffing. When employees are overworked, they may not be capable of providing residents with the level of care they need. Unfortunately, many nursing homes fail to meet staffing standards.

Poor training also contributes to neglect. Although Illinois requires nursing home employees to receive ongoing training, some facilities fail to meet this requirement. Neglect can also occur when facilities don’t properly screen employees before they’re hired.

Types of Nursing Home Neglect

Negligence in a nursing home occurs for several reasons, and there are many practices and behaviors that can constitute neglect. Some of the most common forms of neglect include:

Medical Neglect

Medical neglect occurs when nursing home staff fail to provide residents with appropriate medical care by not coordinating with other providers within the interdisciplinary care team to ensure that residents meet all their medical appointments and needs. For instance, if a certified nursing assistant fails to report or coordinate with the nursing supervisor that led to a resident’s harm, nursing home neglect can be considered in this case.

Neglecting Basic Needs

Nursing homes are required to provide a safe and comfortable environment for residents. This includes cleaning the facility, maintaining an appropriate temperature, and providing residents with safe food and water as needed. Facilities that fail to meet these requirements are neglecting their residents.

Neglecting Hygiene

Many nursing home residents rely on staff to assist them with basic hygiene. When nursing home staff don’t provide assistance with these tasks, they’re neglecting their residents. This could include not changing a resident’s clothing, failing to bathe residents regularly, or refusing to assist residents with tasks like brushing their teeth.

Emotional Neglect

Socialization is important to physical and mental health. When residents are isolated or are not provided with basic mobility aids, such as walkers or wheelchairs, this essential need is neglected. Nursing home residents should be free to interact with residents and spend time with visitors so that their needs for socialization are met.

Signs of Neglect

Unfortunately, nursing home negligence isn’t always easy to detect. Not only does this abuse usually occur behind closed doors, but many nursing home residents have cognitive issues, such as dementia, that can make it difficult for them to communicate their needs. If you’ve seen these warning signs of neglect, you should speak to a nursing home neglect lawyer as soon as possible:

• Bedsores
• Bruising and fractures
• Dehydration
• Emotional withdrawal
• Falls
• Malnutrition
• Problems with personal hygiene
• Unexplained financial issues
• Unexplained hospitalizations
• Unexplained injuries

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers Are Here To Help

It can be devastating to learn that a loved one has experienced nursing home neglect. If you have reason to believe that your family member is the victim of negligence, talk to our team of experienced nursing home negligence lawyers as soon as possible. We’ll work to investigate the facility and gather evidence to build a case.

We’ve handled many nursing home negligence cases and have the resources needed to fight back against abuse and negligence in nursing homes. For more than 30 years, we’ve worked to protect the rights of people in the greater Chicago area. Call us today at 847-869-9100 for a free and confidential consultation.