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A nursing home is a place for people who need medical or rehabilitative care. It can be difficult to figure out what exactly is going on in these institutions, but some signs may indicate that your loved one might not be getting the proper care they deserve. When you see any warning signs of abuse or neglect, contact our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois to help you. At Carlson Bier Associates, we have a profound understanding of the law and a passion to pursue justice. Contact us today at 312-622-2900.
You expect that your loved one will be properly cared for and be able to live with dignity and be treated with respect. However, there can be problems in nursing homes such as abuse and neglect, lack of medicine, understaffing, and inadequate nutrition.
Abuse and Neglect
As a nursing home resident, you are entitled to certain rights and protections. These include the right to be treated with dignity and respect, the right to privacy, the right to be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation by staff members or other residents of your facility.
These rights are guaranteed by federal law under The Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) which prohibits:
- physical abuse—the use of force that results in bodily injury
- verbal, mental or sexual abuse—harmful words or actions against another person’s body or mind
- financial exploitation—taking advantage of another person’s vulnerability for personal gain
However, there are some common forms of abuse that occur in nursing homes such as: assault and battery, sexual assault, theft, fraud, and other offenses. Each year, according to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, there are about 6,000 reported cases of abuse. And, for every reported case of abuse and neglect, there are about 23 others that go unreported or undetected.
It is important that you report your suspicions at the first signs of abuse or neglect. Contact the proper authorities and then contact our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois for an experienced attorney that will pursue your claim.
Lack of Medicine or Theft of Medicine
Lacking medicine is one of the most common problems in nursing homes. In some cases, it’s due to a lack of money or staffing. But often, it’s due to poor communication between staff or inadequate oversight by top management.
For example, if your loved one needs a certain medication at 10 a.m., and the nurse doesn’t know that they need it until they make their rounds at 11:30 a.m., their health could suffer as a result. Each resident is expected to have a care plan when they arrive at the nursing home. It is then the staffs responsibility to implement that plan with fidelity. When they don’t, your loved one may suffer, and you will need a nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois to help you pursue justice.
In addition to residents not getting their required prescriptions administered, there is also theft of many medicines in nursing homes. Most of what is stolen are opioids or pain medications that have been prescribed to patients with life threatening illnesses. In addition, benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety, depression, and panic disorders are also frequently stolen by staff. They are either taking those medications themselves or selling them for street value to others.
Drug theft is a serious crime and it can result in the suffering of your family member. If they’re not getting their necessary prescription medications, their illnesses can get worse and they could die. You have a right to protect your family member and make sure they are properly cared for. Our attorneys at Carlson Bier Associates are here to help. Contact our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois for a consultation.
Understaffing and Poor Staff Training
Make sure that staffing levels are appropriate for the number of patients. Nursing homes should have enough staff to provide adequate care and supervision. They should have licensed nurses as well as additional support staff.
If a nursing home has too few nurses or other types of workers, it will be impossible for them to provide good quality care for residents. If a nursing home does not have enough staff, it can lead to problems such as:
- Inadequate time spent with each resident
- Less time spent educating patients about their health conditions
- Not enough physical therapy sessions
- The risk that patients suffer falls due to fewer staff members available to help them get up if they fall down
- Other issues that result from neglect
Understaffing can occur for many reasons and when it does the residents of the nursing home will be the victims. If your family member’s facility is understaffed and it results in injury or death to your loved one, contact our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois today.
Malnutrition or Dehydration
Dehydration and malnutrition is a serious problem for nursing home residents of all ages, but it can be especially dangerous for the elderly. The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 sets guidelines for assessing the nutritional status of all residents upon entry and every three months after they arrive. However, studies show that about 40% of residents are malnourished. This can lead to the worsening of other health conditions and make it more difficult to recover if they are ill.
Dehydrated people have less fluid in their bodies than usual, which can lead to serious problems like organ failure and even death. Dehydration is common among the elderly because many medications make them more likely to lack thirst despite dehydration’s symptoms. It’s important that you pay attention to your loved one’s body language and behavior if you think they are dehydrated. If they are acting lethargic or confused, vomiting often, having difficulty swallowing, or seem unable to speak normally after drinking water, they may be suffering from dehydration.
If you suspect your family member is malnourished or dehydrated, our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois will help you file a claim. The attorneys at Carlson Bier Associates have the experience, resources, and passion to help you.
Your loved one deserves to be safe and our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois can help
When you or a loved one needs nursing home care, you know that your safety is of the utmost importance. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the facility is providing complete care. Many nursing homes have been found to be negligent in their duty to ensure adequate protection for their residents, which can lead to injury or even death for vulnerable individuals.
If you believe that your loved one has been harmed by neglectful actions at a nursing home, contact an attorney as soon as possible. An experienced lawyer will investigate your case and help determine if there was negligence involved in causing harm or injury to another person’s health or property
It’s hard to believe that nursing home residents and their families have to deal with these kinds of problems, but they do. And it’s up to us to make sure that doesn’t happen anymore. Contact Carlson Bier Associates today to consult with our nursing home abuse lawyer Plainfield Illinois.
