2 medical warning signs of nursing home neglect

Despite the fact that they provide crucial support services for vulnerable people, nursing homes are frequently “for-profit” companies. Their main goal is to make money rather than to act in the best interests of their residents at all times. 

One of the more common ways that nursing home companies put finances ahead of people’s well-being is to cut their staffing levels to the lowest amount permitted by the law given the number of patients in their care. Understaffing can lead to issues not just with comfort but also with overall safety for the residents in a facility. 

They may suffer neglect because there aren’t adequate professional hands to support them during their day. What are two of the warning signs that understaffing and the negligence that it causes has negatively affected your loved one? 

Bedsores

Although people think of bedsores as an inevitable issue for those with limited mobility as they age, the truth is that there are numerous ways to prevent bedsores from developing. 

Even if someone can’t get out of bed, the staff at their nursing home can move them frequently. Rotation to different positions can be sufficient to prevent defense. Cushioning and even medication can also be important, especially once bedsores actually start to develop. If a nursing home doesn’t take adequate steps to prevent bedsores or does it notice them when they start developing, they may have been negligent in their care of your loved one. 

Falls 

Statistics show that more than one in four older adults will suffer a fall in any given year, and some of them will suffer severe injuries from those falls. Nursing homes could recognize falls as a major source of risk for their residents. They should evaluate each resident for their fall risk and provide appropriate care according to the results of their evaluation. 

There need to be proper support within someone’s room and also adequate staffing on hand to ensure that an older adult can have help going to the bathroom or getting to the dining room so that they don’t try to do so on their own. Repeat falls, in particular, could be a sign of neglect.

When nursing homes don’t provide an appropriate standard of care, their residents can end up injured or may even die in extreme cases. Recognizing warning signs of nursing home neglect could potentially help you save your loved one’s life.