As disturbing it may be for you to imagine, but every day, a sizable segment of the elderly population in nursing homes is neglected, abused, or victimized in one form or the other. More than 500,000 people over the age of 60 are neglected or abused every year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, this figure only accounts for a fraction of the original number of problems, as a majority of the nursing home neglect and abuse cases go unreported.
If you think that your elderly loved one is being neglected, you may have some questions regarding taking legal action for getting appropriate compensation. We have answered some commonly asked questions from our nursing home neglect attorney here:
Q: What constitutes as nursing home neglect?
A: Nursing home neglect has several forms, including the failure of:
- Protecting the resident elderly for safety and health hazards
- Preventing from dehydration and malnutrition
- Protecting the resident elderly from their abusive actions of other residents of the nursing home
- Providing medical care for mental and physical health needs
- Providing adequate and clean clothing
Q: What are the types of nursing home neglect?
A: The Nursing Home Abuse Center defines four types of nursing home neglect:
- Neglect of basic needs – The failure of the nursing home staff to provide the resident with adequate amount of food or water, or to provide a safe and clean environment
- Medical neglect – The failure of the nursing home staff to attend to healthcare needs or provide standard medical care to the resident for problems, including bed sores, mobility issues, cognitive disorders, lacerations, and provisional care for diabetes
- Emotional or social neglect – This refers to the repeated ignorant and unethical behavior of nursing home staff towards the resident, including abandonment, yelling, etc.
- Neglect of personal hygiene – The failure of the nursing home staff to provide sufficient assistance with bathing, cleaning, laundry, brushing teeth, or any other type of common hygienic practices.
Q: Who is liable for nursing home neglect?
A: The nursing home administration and staff are directly responsible for any type of neglect that takes place in the premises of the institution. Not only it is their responsibility to provide adequate care to the residents, but they are being paid for these services and it is part of their job. There are several things for which the facility can be held liable, including:
- Breach of regulatory or statutory obligations
- Inadequate training
- Medication errors
- Negligent hiring
- Understaffing
Q: Where to report suspected nursing home negligence?
A: You can contact the following to report and take action against the suspected nursing home negligence and abuse:
- Adult Protective Services
- Emergency services, such as paramedics, local law enforcement, and others
- A local attorney
- Treating medical providers or physicians
- Long-term care ombudsmen
- Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
If you suspect that your elderly loved one has been a victim of nursing home negligence, you should talk to a reliable and experienced nursing home neglect attorney to help you with your situation. Contact the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. at (847) 395-2200 or online today to schedule your initial consultation with our firm.
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