When you place your loved one in a nursing home, you expect them to be cared for and loved, just as you would love then yourself. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and many seniors experience nursing home neglect in Greenbelt, other areas throughout the country. If your family member is living in a healthcare facility, you need to be aware of common injuries that could be signs of neglect.
Slip and Falls
Nursing homes are supposed to provide supportive care. If your loved one is not able to care for themselves and loses their mobility, they should not be allowed to freely walk throughout the facility unassisted. When this happens, many elderly suffer from slip and fall accidents that can take them years to recover from. This is a very common form of nursing home neglect in Greenbelt.
Bedsores
Sometimes family members find that their loved ones have several bedsores on their bodies. This occurs when a person has been lying in a certain position for long periods of time. Nursing home procedure calls for the patient to be turned and moved after a designated period of time to prevent this. When the staff fails to perform, the patient develops bedsores that can take months to heal.
Dehydration
When a patient suffers from nursing home neglect in Greenbelt, they often show signs if dehydration. This is common in patients that have trouble feeding themselves and the nursing home staff fail to take the time to see that they’re finishing their meals. Elderly patients may need help with meals, and when they refuse to eat, the physician and the families should be contacted to help intervene in any way possible. Some homes are understaffed, and workers may not have the man power to see that each patient is hydrated. This is considered neglect and it’s illegal and wrong. These facilities should not operate if they cannot provide optimum care to their patients.
There are several ways to detect nursing home neglect. If you are concerned that your loved one may be being mistreated, contact your lawyer and seek legal counsel. Your attorney should be able to help you cut through the red tape that families in this situation normally deal with, and hold the facility responsible for their short comings. To know more get in touch with Jaklitsch Law Group
