Nursing homes are places where the elderly go when they can no longer care for themselves. These facilities should be places where individuals are comfortable, safe spaces where residents can enjoy their life and stay independent and cared for. When nursing home staff are abusive or negligent towards a resident in their care, there are legal options to hold them responsible.
Residents are exposed to physical, mental, and emotional abuse in nursing homes, and it is vital to look for signs and report abuse and neglect. You must also contact an Olive Branch nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer from Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC, to discuss other steps.
Nursing Home Staff Responsibilities
Nursing home staff must be skilled and trained to care for nursing home residents. Nursing homes must provide adequate training and staff to care for their residents properly; when they fail to meet these essential responsibilities, all residents are susceptible to harm.
Nursing homes in Olive Branch must comply with federal and state requirements for each resident in their care. They must maintain the resident’s dignity, respect, and quality of life. Each nursing home resident will have a comprehensive care plan the staff must follow and ensure they and their family are aware of the program and any changes. Additionally, nursing homes must bathe, dress, groom, and perform other tasks for residents so their health and comfort do not deteriorate.
Olive Branch nursing homes must also provide medical devices and supervision to ensure residents do not harm themselves or others. Staff must keep accurate clinical records for every patient in the facility. Residents must also access appropriate activities, health care, and socialization.
Protections for Nursing Home Residents
When patients enter an Olive Branch nursing home, they do not give up all their rights as there are certain rights for nursing home residents. They must have the security of their possessions and access to information. They have the right to make independent choices, privacy, and confidentiality; residents can express their concerns without fear of retaliation.
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Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse is more than one incident; it is a pattern of behavior, and if one resident is suffering from abuse, others in the facility are as well. Abuse takes many forms, especially in vulnerable communities like the elderly population.
Physical Abuse
Some residents are bedridden and require staff to move them about every two hours. If they do not, bed sores will result on the resident’s buttocks, legs, and feet. The bed sores can become infected and cause other medical conditions.
One obvious sign of nursing home abuse is malnutrition, especially in patients that cannot feed themselves. If they are rapidly losing over ten pounds, your loved one is not getting the food and sustenance they require. Other signs are repeated urinary tract infections, the inability to sleep, and parched lips.
Another noticeable sign to look for is bruising and restraint marks. Other red flags are torn clothing: untreated health conditions, poor personal hygiene, unexplained conditions, and odors.
Sexual Abuse
The most heinous form of patient abuse is sexual, which covers any unwanted sexual advance or performance of a sexual act. If you notice your family member is having difficulty walking or sitting and has a sexually transmitted disease, it is a clear sign they are being sexually abused. They will also become withdrawn and fearful of specific staff members.
It is difficult to report and discuss sexual abuse at any age, but nursing home residents are vulnerable. They are unwilling to discuss these circumstances, and the staff may have threatened them to stay quiet. You must look for the signs and start the conversation.
Financial Abuse
The elderly find it challenging to care for their finances, allowing others to take advantage of them. Some nursing home residents will experience caregivers demanding money or stealing personal property from them. Some staff will go as far as adding themselves to accounts and wills.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse will result in victims becoming isolated and depressed. It can be challenging to see the signs when you are not around your loved one regularly. There are no physical injuries to show proof of the abuse, so you need a skilled nursing home abuse & neglect lawyer in Olive Branch to find proof of the abuse.
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Common Nursing Home Neglect
Some residents have conditions that result in them wandering around and forgetting where they are. It is the facility’s responsibility to ensure these residents stay in their rooms or have supervision, so they do not harm themselves or leave the facility and get lost.
Another form of neglect is not administering medications or providing medical care to residents who need them to survive and thrive. Failure to provide care for diabetes, cognitive diseases, and infections can also result in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
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Compensation Recovery Options
One of the critical elements to recovering compensation is proving there was damage from the harm inflicted by the facility’s staff and doctors. Since one of the forms of abuse is emotional, non-economic injuries are prevalent in abuse and neglect cases. Emotional distress is detrimental to the mental health of these residents, and they will feel helpless because the people who should be caring for them are harming them.
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Causes of Nursing Home Abuse
While abuse and neglect are inexcusable, some common reasons exist for how it happens. Understaffing is the biggest problem in nursing home facilities; when there is not enough staff, not every resident will get the care they need. Inadequate training and negligent hiring are other reasons nursing homes are neglectful, leading to abuse.
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys in Olive Branch
Expert testimony and a thorough investigation are critical to proving liability and establishing abuse in these facilities. Our Olive Branch nursing home abuse & neglect attorney will work with medical professionals to review your loved one’s medical records, test results, and other evidence and determine how the abuse and neglect have affected the resident.
Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC, will investigate the facility’s federal and state history to drive further the point home that the nursing home is negligent and putting residents in danger. Call our office today to schedule a consultation.