Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

More and more people are living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities as the baby boomers age. This growth in the elderly population, and facilities designed for them, is accompanied by growth in abuse and neglect of the elderly.

Help is Available

At the Toledo and Northwest Ohio law firm of Williams DeClark Tuschman Co., L.P.A., we help people who have been neglected or abused in nursing homes. We obtain compensation for their injuries, pain and suffering, and related medical bills. In addition, we know that filing suit against the organizations responsible for negligence and mistreatment of patients may prevent it from happening to others. If your loved one in a nursing home appears to be neglected or mistreated, contact us to learn about your options from an experienced attorney.

Inadequate Staffing in Nursing Homes

Many of our nursing home neglect cases are directly related to inadequate staffing that allows the elderly person to wander off, open doors that lead to stairs, or fall on the way to the bathroom. Inadequate staffing can also lead to shoddy or inadequate care, with too few staff serving too many patients. This leads to bedsores, or decubitus ulcers, caused by a failure to turn or move patients regularly. It can also lead to dehydration and malnutrition, as too-busy staff members are unable to monitor the eating and drinking of each patient.

Inadequate Training of Nursing Home Staff

Inadequate staffing is not an excuse for nursing home abuse and neglect. Nor is improperly trained temporary staff a justification for negligent mistreatment of patients. Nursing homes frequently hire temporary staff to fill staffing gaps. They are often poorly trained or unqualified. Because such staff is temporary, necessary background checks may not be completed, leaving patients vulnerable to sexual abuse and other physical attacks.

Do not accept excuses if your elderly loved one is being mistreated or neglected in a nursing home or other elder care facility. Contact an experienced nursing home lawyer at Williams DeClark Tuschman Co., L.P.A., to learn how we can help you. Call us for a free initial consultation.