Southern California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
Nursing home abuse and neglect in Riverside County can take many different forms, and it can be difficult for family members visiting elderly loved ones to recognize signs and symptoms of some types of abuse. In particular, passive neglect injuries—in which the nursing home negligence led to the harm—may be attributed to circumstances that do not immediately stand out as neglect. As such, it is important to know when a facility may be responsible for a senior’s injuries.
For example, if an elderly resident in a nursing home suffers a bone fracture and must receive medical attention at a hospital, the nursing home might inform the family that the elderly resident slipped and fell on her way to the bathroom. Yet the fall may have been prevented if adequate staff were employed by the facility to assist that resident to the bathroom. Or, for example, a family member might learn that bed sores resulted from the resident being temporarily confined to bed because of an unrelated illness. Yet those bed sores may have been prevented if a staff member had been providing regular care to the resident confined to his or her bed. In such circumstances, the nursing home may be liable for negligence. The following are some of the most common injuries that result from passive neglect at nursing homes.
Bed Sores
Bed sores, or pressure ulcers, happen when a patient experiences prolonged pressure on the skin from sitting or laying in one position. These types of injuries occur often when nursing home patients are not attended to on a regular and timely basis, especially when they are confined to a bed or wheelchair.
Bone Fractures
Bone fractures, and hip fractures in particular, can be devastating for older adults. These injuries often result from slips and falls, or falls out of bed, when a nursing home does not employ enough staff members to attend to each patient’s needs.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Similar to bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can occur when nursing home patients are not properly monitored and sustain injuries in slips and falls or other fall-related accidents.
Dehydration and Malnutrition
Nursing home patients often need assistance ensuring that they get enough food, water, and nutrients. When a facility is understaffed, patients can experience dehydration and malnutrition.
Untreated Medical Conditions
Residents in nursing homes should get immediate attention when they show signs of serious medical conditions. However, if facilities do not have enough staff members to provide regular observation of patients, medical conditions can go untreated, and they can worsen and lead to death.
Infections
Similar to untreated medical conditions, untreated infections can be serious and deadly in nursing homes. Untreated infections often result from passive neglect due to understaffing, as an NPR report suggests.
Contact Our Riverside County Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers
Do you have concerns about a loved one who is currently residing in a nursing home in Southern California? An experienced Riverside County nursing home neglect attorney can assess the case for you today and can speak with you about options for holding the facility accountable for your elderly loved one’s injuries. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about how we can help.
See Related Blog Posts:
Most Common San Bernardino County Nursing Home Injuries and Causes
Proposed Legislation Aims to End Zombie Nursing Home Licenses in California
