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Recent Blog Posts
Can Nursing Home Abuse Lead to Sepsis?
Nursing home abuse is a distressing reality that many vulnerable individuals face. Sadly, the consequences of such abuse can extend beyond immediate physical harm. One serious health complication that can arise from nursing home abuse is sepsis. If you have a loved one in a nursing home facility who is suffering from sepsis, contact a lawyer to ensure your loved one has the support and legal guidance necessary to ensure that their situation is improved to appropriate levels and that any injustices being perpetrated upon them can be taken care of immediately.
Ways in Which Sepsis Can Result from Nursing Home Abuse
It must be noted that not every instance of sepsis in nursing home residents is because of abuse they have endured. However, sepsis can certainly be a serious warning sign of abuse that may be occurring behind the scenes. Here is how:
What is Unreasonable Restraint in Nursing Home Abuse Cases?
Unreasonable restraint is a form of nursing home abuse that occurs when a resident is unnecessarily confined, restricted, or physically restrained in a manner that goes beyond what is necessary for their safety or the safety of others. If you have a loved one who is experiencing nursing home abuse in the form of unreasonable restraint, contact a lawyer as soon as you can. The lawyer will examine the facts of the case and gauge whether compensation may be pursued on behalf of the abused nursing home resident.
Further Defining Unreasonable Restraint
Unreasonable restraint refers to the inappropriate and excessive use of physical or chemical restraints on nursing home residents. Physical restraints may include devices such as straps, belts, or bed rails, while chemical restraints involve using medication to control a resident’s behavior. Restraints should only be used as a last resort, and even then, they should be employed in a safe and necessary manner, following established guidelines and Illinois state law.
Why Nursing Home Understaffing Often Leads to Tragic and Preventable Injuries
Nursing homes have a duty under Illinois state law to provide adequate staffing levels corresponding to the number and care needs of residents. However, understaffing continues to be a widespread problem that frequently results in devastating, avoidable injuries through neglect and oversight.
Nursing Shortages Lead to Rushed, Poor Care
Staff levels at too many nursing homes fall dangerously short of meeting resident needs. Too few nurses, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), orderlies, and attendants is an underlying cause of many nursing home tragedies. Staff shortages lead to incredibly rushed, low quality care as the limited staff scramble to care for too many people. Important aspects of care and supervision inevitably fall through the cracks.
Bedsores and Dangerous Infection
For bedridden patients, insufficient staffing translates directly to painful, infected bedsores and pressure ulcers due to lack of repositioning and proper hygiene care. Turning schedules slip through the cracks when rushed CNAs care for double or triple the recommended number of residents. Unnoticed soiling further complicates bedsores.
When Falls Lead to Broken Bones: Holding Nursing Homes Accountable for Preventable Injuries
Falls are an unfortunately common occurrence in nursing homes, often leading to devastating injuries for frail residents. While some falls may be unavoidable, many result from negligent conditions or oversight for which nursing homes should be held accountable. This article discusses how falls happen, the subsequent injuries that can occur, and how to pursue legal action if a loved one is severely harmed due to preventable causes.
Understanding the Responsibilities of Nursing Homes
Nursing homes are legally obligated to provide adequate supervision and a safe living environment for elderly and infirm residents. Preventing hazardous conditions that could lead to slips, trips, or falls. However, staffing, training, and safety protocol negligence leaves nursing home patients vulnerable to significant injuries.
4 Signs of Nursing Home Neglect to Look Out For
When an elderly person cannot live safely at home anymore, they may need to be placed in a skilled nursing facility. A nursing home’s main duty is to look out for the health and safety of its residents. Each individual living in a nursing home should have their particular needs met daily. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are currently severely understaffed. This may mean that your loved one’s nursing home may or may not have enough staff to provide the full amount of care they need. Even a nursing home that is well-staffed can be neglectful of residents. It is important to check up on your loved ones who live in nursing homes to make sure that they are receiving all necessary care. If your loved one has been harmed due to neglect in a nursing home, they may have a case against the home and be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help assess your particular situation to determine whether your loved one may have suffered harm caused by inadequate care.
When Can Wandering and Elopement Lead to Nursing Home Injuries?
As loved ones reach their later years, many families face the difficult decision of entrusting their care to a nursing home facility. These facilities are meant to provide a safe and secure environment for aging family members, ensuring that they receive the proper medical care, supervision, and assistance with their daily needs. Unfortunately, there are a variety of reasons why nursing home patients may be injured. In some cases, incidents of wandering and elopement can lead to dangerous situations that may cause an elderly person to suffer serious harm.
The Dangers of Wandering and Elopement
Wandering refers to patients who roam around unsafely and without proper supervision within the confines of a nursing home facility. This behavior can pose significant risks, as patients may get lost, trip over hazards, or become involved in altercations with other residents. On the other hand, elopement occurs when a resident leaves the facility unnoticed or without authorization.
The 3 Most Common Medication Errors in Nursing Homes
Medication errors in any type of medical facility can present a serious safety concern. While younger and healthier people may be better able to withstand minor errors in medication, the ill and elderly people who make up Chicago’s nursing home population can suffer serious harm after even a single mistake. While a younger and healthier person can often notice and speak up for themselves if they are about to be given the wrong medication, the average nursing home resident is unlikely to become aware of the error on their own. Nursing homes must take their duty to comply with industry standards for the protection of the elderly very seriously, or serious harm can come to a resident. If you have noticed changes in your elderly loved ones’ behavior or health, or if they have suffered an unexplained adverse health event, they may have been injured due to a medication error. An attorney can help you investigate further to determine whether your loved one may be owed compensation.
Nursing Home Abuse Facts You Should Know
When an elder’s loved ones place them in a nursing home, it is generally to keep them safe. Senior citizens often reach a point where it is no longer safe for them to live at home. They may begin to need more care or more skilled care than their family members can provide. Or, incidents that occur in the elder’s home may signal to relatives that it is not safe for them to live alone anymore. The primary reason we move elders into designated care facilities is because we want them to receive all the care they need, delivered by trained professionals. If you have a loved one living in a nursing home, finding out that they have not received essential care may be among your worst nightmares. Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect is more common than most people would like to think. It is important to check on your loved ones in nursing homes frequently so that you will know right away if they are not receiving the care they need.
Causes of Falls in Chicago Nursing Homes
An elderly person can be seriously injured if they fall. As a person ages, their bones become more brittle and they become more vulnerable to injuries from minor falls that a younger person would easily bounce back from. Catastrophic injuries can occur when a nursing home resident falls. Some of the main risks when an elderly person falls are brain injuries, broken hips, and spinal cord injuries. While a broken hip is something a younger person could recover from, it is often referred to as “the beginning of the end” for a senior citizen. Many falls in nursing homes could be prevented. Often, falls are the result of negligence on the part of the nursing home staff. Many nursing homes are now severely understaffed, putting residents at greater risk for experiencing neglect. If your loved one was injured after falling in a nursing home, it is best to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Your loved one may be entitled to compensation.
What Catastrophic Injuries Can Happen When an Elder Falls?
When a young person falls, there is still a chance that they will be injured. A young person might break their wrist trying to brace, or sustain some bruising. When an elderly person falls, they are far more likely to suffer a serious or even catastrophic injury. Elders who are not being given the proper care and supervision they need in nursing homes are more likely to fall than those that are well cared for. If your elderly loved one has recently suffered a serious fall in a Chicago nursing home, it could be because they have been neglected by the staff. Sometimes this happens because nursing homes are severely understaffed. Other times it happens because the staff present has failed to take the proper precautions to prevent a patient from standing up on their own. In any event, it is a good idea to speak with an attorney about what rights your loved one has and whether they may be owed compensation.
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