Posted on June 02, 2020 in Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse and neglect is disturbingly common. Sadly, nursing home residents across the country are subjected to cruel treatment and denied necessary care. Sometimes, nursing home neglect or abuse is so severe that it even results in the death of a resident.

If you have a loved one in a nursing home, you may spend hours and hours wondering about the quality of care he or she is receiving in the facility. You may worry that substandard care or intentional mistreatment will cause your loved one to needlessly suffer. These concerns may be exacerbated by your loved one’s inability to communicate with you about the type of care he or she is receiving. In response to these worries, some people choose to install a camera in their loved one’s room at the nursing home.   

Why Do People Install Cameras in Nursing Homes?

It is hard to know for sure how many innocent nursing home residents are subjected to mistreatment in the United States. Across the country, it is widely recognized that many nursing home facilities are exceedingly understaffed. Because of this, many residents do not receive the medical attention and personal help they need to be safe. Even worse, some nursing home staff intentionally subject residents to physical, psychological, or sexual abuse.

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 Posted on May 29, 2020 in Breathing Tube Injuries

An endotracheal tube or breathing tube is a medical device used when a resident cannot breathe on his or her own. A breathing tube may be necessary when a resident is suffering from respiratory failure caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, or another condition. An endotracheal tube may also be used when a resident has suffered a major brain injury.

Intubation can be a life-saving procedure. Unfortunately, breathing tube mistakes can result in unnecessary suffering or even death. If your loved one was injured or killed by a breathing tube mistake while living in a nursing home, you may have a valid nursing home injury claim.

Common Breathing Tube Errors

A breathing tube is a plastic tube used during artificial respiration to allow the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It is connected to a ventilator or a breathing bag and inserted into the resident’s trachea. The three main types of tracheal tubes used the help nursing home residents breath include endotracheal tubes, tracheostomy tubes, and tracheal buttons. Several different breathing tube complications may occur including:

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 Posted on May 20, 2020 in Neglect

When an elderly or disabled person cannot safely live on his or her own, but his or her medical concerns are not substantial enough to necessitate nursing home care, an assisted living facility is often the right choice. Assisted living homes may have a health clinic and nursing staff, but helping residents with daily living tasks such as cleaning and cooking is typically the main focus. Residents in an assisted living facility often have a greater level of independence than those in a nursing home, but people in assisted living facilities may still suffer from mistreatment.

Types of Abuse Experienced by Residents in Assisted Living Homes

Although assisted living residents have some degree of self-sufficiency, they can still be victims of neglect and abuse. Neglect may involve negligent medication errors and skipped medication doses, inadequate assistance with daily living tasks, failure to provide residents with basic necessities, allowing unsanitary or unsafe conditions to exist in the facility, and more.

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 Posted on May 13, 2020 in Dementia

Cognitive ailments like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are extremely common in older adults. These diseases may start out with subtle symptoms and then progress into devastatingly severe symptoms. A person with advanced dementia may not even seem like the same person anymore. For families of elders with cognitive illnesses, watching their loved ones suffer can be almost unbearable. Many families eventually decide to place their loved one in a nursing home or other long-term care facility so that he or she can receive the medical care and attention he or she needs. Sadly, some nursing home residents with cognitive diseases become victims of nursing home neglect or abuse.

Red Flags of Nursing home Abuse and Neglect

A nursing home resident suffering from a brain disease may be unable to articulate his or her feelings, thoughts, and needs. This is why it is crucial for families to be vigilant for signs that their loved one is being mistreated. Look for physical signs of trauma such as scratches, bruises, bed sores, burns, dislocations, and other injuries. Also be watchful for signs that a resident is being physically or chemically restrained. Federal laws as well as the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act prohibit nursing home staff from unreasonably restraining a resident. Restraints that restrict a resident’s movement or medications that sedate a resident must only be used when absolutely necessary. Furthermore, the use of restraints must be ordered by a physician who documents the reasons for using the restraints.

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 Posted on May 06, 2020 in Nursing Home Abuse

If you are like most people with a loved one living in a nursing home, you think about your loved one often. You may worry about whether or not your loved one is safe and well cared for or whether he or she is comfortable living in the facility. One major concern for elderly individuals is the risk of serious injuries, including fractures and broken bones. A young, healthy person may sustain a broken bone and suffer no long-lasting negative health consequences as a result. However, because many residents’ bodies are weakened by age or illness, a broken bone can be life-altering or even life-threatening. If your loved one has suffered a broken bone while living in a nursing home, there are several things you should keep in mind.

Causes of Fractures and Broken Bones in a Nursing Home

Elderly individuals often suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis that make their bones more susceptible to breaking. This is one reason that it is so important for nursing home facilities to do everything in their power to prevent break injuries.

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 Posted on April 29, 2020 in Nursing Home Abuse

Research shows that nursing home abuse and is startlingly common across the United States. It is hard to believe that anyone would be intentionally cruel to an elderly or disabled person—let alone someone the individual has been assigned to care for—but it does happen. Sadly, many instances of abuse go unreported because residents are not physically or cognitively capable of reporting the mistreatment. If your loved one is living in a long-term care facility, you may worry about whether he or she is being treated with the care and respect he or she deserves. There are several warning signs that families should be on the lookout for that could indicate that their loved one is being harmed in a nursing home.

Red Flags of Physical Abuse and Sexual Abuse

Although many studies have been conducted to better understand nursing home abuse, the true extent of the problem is still unknown. In one survey, 44 percent of nursing home residents reported being abused at a facility, and 38 percent reported witnessing other residents being abused. Physical abuse includes kicking, hitting, punching, slapping, and other acts of physical violence. Sexual abuse includes unwanted sexual contact, sexual assault, and indecent exposure.

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 Posted on April 22, 2020 in Wandering and Elopement

Human beings are naturally curious creatures and this curiosity does not end just because a person requires care in a nursing home. One of the most serious issues in U.S. nursing homes is resident wandering and elopement. Residents sometimes wander through the nursing home facility simply because they are curious or bored. They may also wander or attempt to leave the facility because they are suffering from dementia or another cognitive illness that makes them confused.

Sadly, some nursing home residents wander into dangerous areas and are injured or killed as a result. It is up to nursing home staff to closely monitor nursing home residents and prevent wandering and elopement.

Residents Suffering From Cognitive Disease May Attempt to “Escape” the Nursing Home

If a resident is suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or another cognitive problem, he or she may become disorientated and afraid. This confusion may cause the resident to believe that he or she needs to leave the nursing home facility. Nursing home staff should supervise residents with cognitive problems especially carefully so that they do not end up in an unsafe situation. Tragically, residents have died after walking out of nursing home facilities and being exposed to the elements. In one fairly recent case, a 76-year-old nursing home resident passed away after she managed to leave her nursing home unnoticed. Temperatures were below freezing and the woman sadly passed away from hypothermia before she was discovered. A resident who leaves the safety of a nursing home may be at risk of hypothermia, heat stroke, dehydration, slip and fall injuries, and more. This is why it is essential for nursing home staff to monitor the whereabouts of residents at all times.  

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 Posted on April 15, 2020 in Neglect

The around-the-clock care offered by nursing homes and other long-term care facilities can be a literal lifeline for an elderly or disabled individual. Many nursing homes also provide medical care and services for people who are recovering from surgery or were otherwise hospitalized.

In some situations, a resident may be unable to breathe on his or her own. A breathing tube may be used in order to allow oxygen to flow directly to the resident’s lungs. Breathing tubes are often life-saving devices, but if one is used incorrectly, it can lead to a resident’s death.

Breathing Tube Injuries

In many cases, a breathing tube injury is the result of the breathing tube becoming clogged. If the tube is filled with saliva, phlegm, food, or another substance, the resident will not be able to breathe. Brain damage and eventually death can result from the lack of oxygen.

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 Posted on April 08, 2020 in Neglect

When a family decides to place their loved one in the care of a nursing home, they assume that the staff will take every measure to protect and care for their loved one. Tragically, this is not always the cause. Sometimes, nursing homes are either negligent to their residents’ needs or they treat them cruelly.

Examples of Nursing Home Neglect

There have been countless instances of physical abuse, mental abuse, or sexual abuse against residents living in nursing homes. Nursing home residents have rights just like anyone else, and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Because residents are often unable to fight for their own rights, they rely on concerned family members to do so on their behalf.

In addition to intentional mistreatment and abuse, nursing home neglect is also a serious problem which can lead to:

• Errors in administering medication that may cause death or serious injury

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 Posted on March 26, 2020 in Nursing Home Abuse

The statistics regarding nursing home abuse and neglect are extremely disheartening. In one study, nearly 25 percent of nursing home residents reported that they had suffered one or more incidents of physical abuse at the hands of nursing home staff. In addition to physical abuse, residents may be mocked, internationally frightened, and otherwise emotionally abused. Financial abuse, also called elder financial exploitation, is also a problem in many nursing homes. Even if nursing home staff do not intentionally harm residents, understaffed facilities and lack of appropriate staff training can lead residents to be dangerously neglected.

If you have a loved one in a nursing home, you may be especially concerned about their safety during this tumultuous time. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to minimize your loved one’s changes of experiencing nursing home neglect or abuse.

Research Nursing Home Facilities Thoroughly

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