Poor Hygiene and Nursing Home Abuse

 Posted on May 20, 2018 in Nursing Home Abuse

Inadequate hygiene in nursing homes can be deadly to vulnerable residents. Poor hygiene is often the consequence of ineffectively trained staff members or facilities that have too high a resident to staff ratio. Other times, poor hygiene can be the result of staff who are not properly educated about safe health care practices.

Not Using Proper Hygiene Is Neglect

Elderly individuals or those with physical or mental disabilities in a nursing home deserve to be kept safe and clean. Some residents are not physically capable of doing hygiene tasks on their own while others have cognitive impairments which makes it hard for them to remember hygiene. Sadly, reports of nursing home residents left in soiled clothes, diapers, or beds are not uncommon. Nursing home residents deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and this includes cleanliness. Unsanitary conditions can increase the risk of infection, illness, and other medical conditions.

Staff May Take Unsafe Shortcuts When It Comes to Their Own Hygiene

When nursing home staff are not properly educated about caretaker hygiene, the results can be deadly. A staff member who does not wash his or her hands after helping a resident with bathroom-related tasks and then interacts with another resident can spread dangerous bacteria to the second resident. Most residents have compromised immune systems due to illness, injury, or old age and are especially susceptible to germs. When staff are not regularly cleaning common areas, kitchens, or bathrooms, the facility becomes a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria and viruses. This places residents in further unnecessary risk.

Holding Neglectful Nursing Homes Responsible

When a person checks their loved one into a nursing home, they are trusting the doctors, nurses, and other staff members to care for their loved one as if he or she was family. Nursing homes sometimes skimp on hygiene tasks and chores because the residents cannot speak up for themselves.

At Schwartz Injury Law, we work with families of neglected nursing home residents to be their voice. We have successfully brought personal injury lawsuits against abusive and neglectful nursing home facilities and recovered financial compensation for those who have been wronged. Often, we employ the help of third-party medical professionals who can testify as to the ways the nursing home’s behavior endangered residents.

If you or someone you love has suffered in a nursing home due to inadequate hygiene practices, call us today at 312-535-4625 for a free, confidential consultation with an Illinois nursing home abuse attorney. We serve clients in the Chicago area including DuPage County, Cook County, Kane County, Will County, Lake County, and Winnebago County.

Sources:

https://www.nextavenue.org/6-signs-of-nursing-home-neglect/

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nursing-home-infections-20171221-story.html