According to an article published in the New York Times, nursing home facilities across the country are deeply understaffed and barely able to function, often resulting in harm to the residents who rely on their care. Oftentimes, we are unable to look after our elderly loved ones ourselves due to the fact that they might suffer from health conditions that require more professional help or because we simply cannot take time away from work to provide the round-the-clock care that is sometimes necessary. This is why it generally an unavoidable fact that many elderly individuals who are no longer able to care for themselves reside in nursing homes. In fact, nearly 1.4 million receive care in nursing facilities across the country.
Unfortunately, when nursing homes are understaffed, workers struggle to stay on task and might not deliver all the necessary meals, miss medication, or altogether neglect a patient’s need to bathe or go to the bathroom. If workers are overworked and burned out enough, any number of these necessities can be forgotten.
Keep in mind that Medicare does not set a minimum resident-to-staff ratio. That said, it does require the presence of a registered nurse for at least 8 hours a day and a licensed nurse at any given time. Of course, these care providers cannot perform all of their tasks on their own, especially given the high volume of patients they often face.
Abuse and Neglect
As a result of overstaffing, negligence and even abuse might occur. It is important to be aware of the signs so you know what to look out for and can react quickly. Below are some of the signs of nursing home abuse and neglect you should be aware of:
- Bruises, cuts, broken bones, or broken eyeglasses that cannot be explained. The patient might also not have any medication.
- Threatening or belittling behavior from the caretaker, which might result in unusual emotional behavior in the elderly person.
- Bruised genitals, blood or torn underwear, and unexplained STDs or infections that cannot be explained.
- Lack of clean underwear, wrong clothing, dehydration, and sickness are all indicators of caregiver neglect.
If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, you need to contact the local authorities to investigate the situation and remove him or her from that environment as soon as possible. You should also seek legal representation to fight for the rights of your loved one.
Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Portsmouth
If your elderly loved one suffered abuse or neglect at the hands of his or her caregivers, you have a right to pursue fair and just compensation. At Burnside Brankamp Law, our Portsmouth Nursing Home Abuse attorneys are dedicated to fighting tooth and nail to ensure the responsible parties are held accountable for their actions. Our team has the experience and knowledge necessary to effectively handle your case.
Get started and contact us today at (888) 724-9319 to request your free initial case evaluation.