Nursing homes must provide individualized care for each patient. Facilities that care for the elderly, who are one of the most vulnerable populations in this country, must invest the necessary time and resources into making sure that all of their patients’ medical and personal needs are met. When nursing homes fail to meet those needs, patients begin to suffer and can even die.
Unfortunately, neglect is not uncommon among nursing home patients. There is often a systematic problem at the home, where the home is short staffed, the workers are not well-trained, or there is chronic mismanagement. Some signs of serious problems with neglect include bed sores, malnutrition, and dehydration. All of those can occur when employees fail to provide necessary care to patients who are in need.
In more serious situations, nursing homes do not just fail to provide basic care – they may actually harm the patient. Some signs of serious issues with the home include untreated health problems, wandering by the patients, repeated falls, burns, and medication issues. Those situations are particularly serious and should be addressed immediately.
Nursing homes have a legal duty to their patients to provide an acceptable level of care. If that is not provided, loved ones may have a right to seek compensation for their loved ones’ injuries. If your loved one has suffered in a California nursing home, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles negligence attorney at 310-385-0567. We can help.