I’m so sorry to hear about your parent’s incident at the nursing home. Choking can be scary for anyone, but especially an elderly person in a nursing home. If your parent was harmed as a result of the accident, you may wish to speak with an attorney about your legal options.
Unfortunately, many nursing homes do not correctly supervise or monitor the food intake of patients. Many nursing home residents are on restrictive diets because they have difficulty swallowing. If a nursing home fails to enforce diet restrictions or does not properly monitor a patient while he or she is eating, there is a risk of choking.
Many elderly and disabled patients have swallowing disabilities. There are a number of physical conditions that can interfere with swallowing, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s or dementia, neurological disorders, or simply aging. Normally, a physician will determine the issue and make a recommendation on what the patient can eat and in what form. If a patient with a swallowing disorder is not closely watched or does not have a restricted diet, choking and asphyxiation can occur. Many choking incidents at nursing homes could have been easily prevented if the doctors had followed medical orders.
If your parent has suffered harm as a result of a choking incident in a nursing home, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.