Nursing Home Neglect

A nursing home is supposed to be a safe environment for elderly individuals with consistent care needs. Rather than living at home and having medical services come to them, an older adult can move into an assisted living facility and have 24/7 access to necessary services. 

Many nursing homes provide amenities like social activities, basic living assistance, comfortable accommodations, and a community of other residents in similar life stages. 

Facilities can fall below the expected standard of care. Nursing facilities nationwide face extreme challenges with negligent staff, resulting in inadequate care services for some residents. Whether nursing home neglect is affecting you or a loved one in a skilled nursing facility, it is essential to take action to correct the behavior and hold institutions accountable. 

What is Nursing Home Neglect?

Nursing home neglect is a form of elder abuse where caregivers or administrative staff members fail to provide basic necessities and care to nursing home residents. As a result, the patient suffers some type of harm, which could be physical, emotional, financial, or mental. 

This type of nursing home abuse is not the same as intentional abuse, which usually involves physical force, threats, unwanted sexual advances, or financial exploitation. 

Various forms of neglect in a nursing home can be intentional or unintentional. While the negligent individual may not be causing direct harm to the resident, their actions or inactions put the victim in danger and compromise their physical and mental health. 

Why is Neglect a Serious Problem?

Neglect is a serious problem in assisted living facilities nationwide. The issue is widespread, with thousands of complaints and lawsuits yearly against institutions for negligent behaviors. Nursing home abuse statistics by the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that roughly 11.6% of all nursing home abuse cases involve negligent behavior [1]. 

One of the reasons nursing home negligence is so prevalent is the vulnerability of older adults. Many of them are facing mental illness, cognitive impairment, or physical decline, making them easier targets of mistreatment. The impact of abuse and neglect can be devastating, causing injuries, infections, worsening conditions, or death. 

Types of Nursing Home Neglect

Negligent nursing homes can harm residents in many ways. If you have a loved one staying in a nursing home, it is important to understand how nursing home negligence can manifest. Here are a few examples of nursing homes falling below professional standards of care. 

Basic Needs Neglect

Nursing home residents typically need assistance with their basic needs. That includes nutrition, hydration, hygiene, shelter, and safety. Nursing home abuse and neglect can compromise these services. 

Poor diets can cause malnutrition, dehydration, significant weight loss, weakening immune systems, and other health complications. If hygiene and sanitation are not prioritized for residents, they could fall victim to infections. 

Every nursing home resident has the right to feel safe in their environment. Unclean accommodations, uncomfortable room temperatures, or no protection from physical hazards could lead to significant harm. 

Medical Neglect

A nursing home’s primary focus is providing medical care services to each resident. Neglecting these needs could quickly turn a positive experience into a miserable situation. 

Medication errors, such as missed doses, incorrect dosages, or administering the wrong drugs, often occur due to laziness or poor communication. Nurses and physicians may fail to treat medical conditions by delaying or denying treatment, leading to a worsening condition. 

Some staff members may ignore changes in a patient’s condition or fail to monitor them sufficiently, causing a rapid decline in their health. 

Personal Care Neglect

When the nursing home is functioning properly, staff provides personal care assistance to residents. This includes assistance with bathing, grooming, using the toilet, dressing, and moving around.

Severe neglect in these areas can have both physical and mental consequences. The resident may feel disrespected by staff, losing touch with their dignity. Additionally, their hygiene could suffer, exposing them to health conditions like pressure ulcers. 

Social and Emotional Neglect

Not all forms of abuse and neglect are physical. Some negligent behaviors affect the social and emotional state of the resident. Perhaps the staff purposely or accidentally isolates a resident from others at the nursing home, creating a lack of social interaction. 

Preventing visits from family members or participation in social activities will reduce the resident’s emotional support and engagement opportunities. These negligent behaviors pose significant risks to the mental health of the resident. 

Signs and Symptoms of Nursing Home Neglect

As a family member of a nursing home resident, it is partially up to you to prevent serious harm to your loved one. Although nursing home staff members are primarily responsible for your relative’s care, the prevalence of abuse and neglect means you must be vigilant for the warning signs of mistreatment. Here are some indicators of abuse or neglect in a nursing home. 

Physical Indicators

Physical signs of neglect often manifest and are noticeable to visiting family members. Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, develop when there is prolonged pressure on a specific body area, likely proving that the individual is not being moved enough. Unexplained weight loss or malnutrition are also common symptoms of neglect. 

Abuse and neglect can affect hygiene and living conditions. If the staff does not provide basic needs, the resident may experience poor personal hygiene. This could lead to consequences like dental issues, skin conditions, or infections. 

Their room should also be kept clean, so if you notice their bedroom is unsanitary, it may be due to staff negligence. 

Behavioral and Emotional Indicators

Signs of abuse or neglect can manifest in the victim’s emotions and behavior. For example, if neglected, a person may withdraw from the rest of the nursing home community or their loved ones. They may suffer from depression, anxiety, or agitation if staff are not attending to their needs. 

The behavioral and emotional consequences of neglect in nursing homes can affect their overall experience. The resident may become fearful or agitated more often, especially if specific personnel ignore their needs. 

The victim may find it harder to get a good night’s sleep, exasperating the other symptoms of abuse or neglect. If you notice any of these signs of nursing home abuse or negligence, it is essential to take swift action to protect your loved one. 

Causes and Contributing Factors to Nursing Home Neglect

Reporting nursing home neglect is the most effective way to fight this epidemic of elder abuse. The other solution is determining the root causes of the issue. Addressing the contributing factors makes it easier to target the causes and protect all nursing home residents. Here are some of the most common causes of negligence in a nursing home. 

Understaffing

Staffing is a significant challenge for nursing homes nationwide. The older population is increasing, especially with the amount of baby boomers reaching that age. As such, the need for healthcare professionals in skilled nursing facilities is growing. 

Widespread staffing shortages are causing overworked and overwhelmed caregivers to provide less quality care than is expected. 

Inadequate Training

Quality is just as important as quantity in terms of nursing home staff. There is also a need for more appropriately trained nurses, nursing assistants, and other professionals serving in nursing homes. Although a nurse aide can provide critical services, they do not have as much training as a licensed nurse. 

When nursing home administrators do not hire enough qualified individuals to fill their staff openings, the facility cannot meet all residents’ needs. 

Lack of Oversight and Accountability

Nursing home workers and facilities require oversight to be effective. When a facility fails and harms residents, management must step in to correct the issues. 

Unfortunately, state agencies and federal government entities, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, do not have the resources to oversee all facilities efficiently. Additionally, large parent companies manage many nursing homes with less stakes in local facilities. 

Without effective management and oversight, residents’ neglect can go unnoticed and unpunished. Even if suspected abuse is reported, poor management could cause the complaint to be swept under the rug or ignored. 

Cost-Cutting Measures

This problem is one of the most egregious causes of nursing home abuse and neglect. Many facilities and parent companies prioritize profits over quality care. As a result, they will cut costs for staffing, equipment, and other areas that help prevent instances of nursing home abuse. 

In many cases, these issues are unknown to residents and their families. Patients are at the mercy of the administrators in these scenarios, and many of the problems occur behind the scenes. When nursing homes cut corners to save money, it paves the way for individuals to get away with physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse, and neglect. 

Taking Action Against Nursing Home Abuse

The best way to hold these institutions accountable for failing to care for residents is with a nursing home abuse lawsuit. Senior patients and their families can sue nursing homes for legal damages to seek justice and pursue compensation. 

However, taking legal action can be overwhelming and intimidating, especially when going up against an institution with vast resources. Here are a few considerations if you want to file a lawsuit for nursing home abuse or negligence. 

Reporting Suspected Neglect

The first step in the legal process is to report abuse to the appropriate parties. Initially, this should be the nursing home administrative staff. However, to ensure action is taken against the responsible parties, you may also want to contact a federal entity like Adult Protective Services or the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Another option is to file a complaint with your state’s licensing agency. If you believe your loved one is in immediate danger, contact the local authorities to get them to safety as quickly as possible. The sooner you report your suspicions, the easier it will be to prevent future suffering. 

Seeking Legal Help

When you pursue legal action for nursing home abuse, it is best to seek assistance from professionals. Nursing home abuse lawyers specialize in supporting victims of abuse or negligence in these facilities. 

They will investigate your case, assess legal damages, gather evidence to support your claim, negotiate for fair compensation, and even represent you in court. 

The right law firm should know state and federal regulations on the nursing facility industry, such as the Nursing Home Reform Act. They should also have experience winning settlements for victims of abuse and neglect. With an accomplished lawyer, your rights and well-being will be protected as you pursue justice. 

Secure Expert Legal Counsel! 

The Nursing Home Law Center is the firm you need for your nursing home abuse lawsuit. Our team knows what it takes to pursue damages on behalf of residents who have suffered neglect, physical harm, financial exploitation, or mental abuse. 

Many nursing home residents have secured compensation for their suffering with our help, and we are ready to dedicate our efforts to your cause. 

Contact our office today at 800-926-7565 or complete the online form to request a free case review with an experienced nursing home neglect attorney. 

Resources: [1] Nursing Homes Abuse