Are your loved ones protected in a Nursing Home?
Knowing the signs of nursing home abuse can help ensure that you or your loved ones are safe in the place they now call “home”.
The top 5 signs of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect include:
1. Bedsores and Unexplained Rashes
Bedsores are a major indicator of neglect. A bedsore, also called decubitis ulcer, is a pressure sore which typically arise if a patient is not turned frequently and is lying on a low quality mattress without overlays. Typically bedsores are seen at the heels of the feet, back of the knees, buttocks, and other boney parts of the body.
A bedsore will first take the shape of a red sore on the skin. If the sore is left untreated, it will break the skin. Continual neglect of the bedsore will result in the wound increasing in size and depth. The bedsore may eventually go all the way down to the bone and cause a serious infection.
A bedsore may be treated with antibiotics. However, if the antibiotics do not work, amputation may be the only means of saving the life of the patient. A patient may die from sepsis, or blood poisoning as a result of the bed sore.
2. Unexplained or Undocumented Falls
A fall by an elderly patient. A fall in a nursing home could be considered neglect if it is not reported and/or if proper procedures were not used to protect the elderly patient against the fall.
Even a caretakers failure to secure a patient in a wheelchair can constitute neglect in the event of a fall given that the patient was not properly secured. Other falls may result from nursing home patients lying in beds with no railing to protect them.
Many times, when these patients experience a fall, they are left with lacerations, abrasions, bone fractures, disfigurement, and even head injuries. Nursing Home staff may fail to report how the patient sustained such injuries and/or fail to examine the full extent of the injuries.
3. Malnutrition and Dehydration
Without proper care and attention, a nursing home patient may experience malnutrition and/or dehydration. If left untreated for a long period of time, an elderly patient may die.
In some circumstances elderly patients may require a special diet and/or may not be able to feed themselves. If nursing home staffs fail to provide for the patient’s needs malnutrition or dehydration may result.
4. Body Odor, Soiled Sheets or Clothing, Unkempt
Signs of neglect may be obvious. If your loved one looks messy and appears un-bathed this should come as a red flag for nursing home neglect. Nursing home staff have a duty to care for your loved one, this includes routine bathing, changing of linens, and making sure your loved one is fed. If any of these things appear to not have taken place, you need to contact a South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer.
5. Injury sustained from Elopement and Wandering
Elopement, or wandering off the nursing home premises, is a serious matter. When a nursing home patient wanders away from a facility, they are unknowingly putting themselves in danger. Nursing home staff have an obligation to ensure that no elderly patient will walk away from the premises. Wandering occurs when a resident is left to roam aimlessly around the facility with no supervision.
South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
If you believe your loved one is being subject to nursing home abuse or neglect, you need an experienced South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer. With prompt intervention, you can ensure your loved one is out of harms way. Contact a South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation. 803.252.4800.
