Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Warning Signs from South Carolina Elder Abuse Lawyer
In this section of A Time to Care: A Guide to Nursing Home Care, South Carolina nursing home neglect lawyer Andy Arnold outlines the warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect.
The Warning Signs
As a lawyer who handles nursing home abuse and neglect cases, I have learned that abuse and neglect in nursing homes come in many forms and manifest itself in many ways. Although there are many warning signs of abuse and neglect, I have handled cases involving bone fractures, unexplained bruising, infections, inadequate hygiene, unclean living conditions, and unexplained accidents. However, the following are the most common and prevalent warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect:
1. Repeated Falls
Accidents happen. However, residents in nursing care require supervision and the assistance of devices to help the move about. Residents should not fall repeatedly, and if a resident is falling and getting injured, this is an indication of neglect.
2. Fractures of Unknown Origin
Although nursing homes swear that bones just spontaneously break, this is just not true. Almost all the time, a fracture is the result of trauma and most of the time, trauma is the result of negligence. When a nursing home tells the family they do not know how a resident broke a bone, this should be a warning.
3. Dehydration
Hydration in critical to health, and failure to properly hydrate residents can be an obvious sign of neglect.
4. Bedsores
Bedsores are preventable. These are also referred to as pressure ulcers. The mere existence of a bedsore may indicate a failure to properly reposition a resident, to properly hydrate a resident, and failure to get the resident out of bed and moving about.
5. Weight Loss
Malnutrition is the silent epidemic in our nursing homes. Malnutrition can lead to infections and bedsores. Without proper nutrition, a resident's body cannot fight the infections nor heal the bedsores. If a resident loses more than 10% of her body weight in a 90 day period, there is a problem and it is likely the result of insufficient staffing.
6. Staffing
Have trouble finding a nurse or CNA when you need help? Are important aspects of care not getting done? Understaffing in nursing homes is both a cause and effect of neglect. What are the hours per patient day of a nursing home? Go to www.medicare.gov. This site's "Nursing Home Compare" section contains information about a nursing home's staffing levels as well as inspections by DHEC.
7. Untreated Pain
Pain is preventable. No one should have to suffer unnecessarily. Just because many residents cannot speak does not mean they cannot communicate. Look for signs of pain: Increased confusions, facial expressions, sensitive to touch, moaning, and depression. Become an advocate.
Greenville Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer Can Help You Prove Negligence and Neglect
Sometimes warnings will be obvious. However, proving negligence will require the assistance of an attorney with experience litigating nursing home abuse and neglect cases. Most of these cases require more than a personal injury lawyer, and so, in choosing an attorney make sure he/she has specific experience handling cases against nursing homes and assisted living facilities. No one wants to file a lawsuit. Families would prefer to simply get adequate care for their loved ones. But, holding nursing homes accountable is sometimes the only way to improve care, for your loved one and those who will follow.
If you see nursing home abuse warning signs, contact South Carolina nursing home abuse lawyer Andy Arnold today. At his Greenville SC law firm, Andy Arnold offers free initial consultations for nursing home neglect cases.
