When you’re faced with the decision to put your loved ones into the care of a nursing home, you expect that they will receive adequate care for medical, physical, social, and emotional needs.
Nursing homes have a responsibility and a duty to provide for residents who cannot take care of themselves and therefore require the services of caregivers. When nursing home staff fail to provide reasonable and adequate care, it may be considered negligence and there may be a cause of action against the facility. It is important for anyone who has witnessed nursing home abuse or neglect to urgently report it to the relevant authorities. Some signs of nursing home abuse and neglect include:
- Failing to provide proper medical care
- Failing to provide adequate mental health care
- Inadequate food, nutrition, or hydration
- Not providing adequate hygiene care, such as bathing, toilet use
- Failing to keep rooms and living areas clean and sanitary
- Turning off or deactivating call lights
- Not providing assistance for mobility
- Inadequate supervision of patients
- Sexual abuse
- Falls due to inattention or failure to properly secure residents
- Bedsores
Unfortunately, as you can see, there are many instances that could be categorized as nursing home abuse and/or neglect.
The CDC reported that up to 90% of nursing facilities across the United States do not have adequate staff to provide the necessary level of care. They also stated that 1 in 3 nursing homes violate federal safety standards. Nursing homes are expected to provide reasonable care for their vulnerable residents, and if it can be proven that they have failed, the patient or victims’ family may have a successful case. Moreover, New York State has strong laws that protect residents of nursing homes. If you have questions or concerns about a friend or family member and the care that they have received in a nursing home, please call us for a free consultation. Make Buzin & Berman #yourfirstcall
