Nursing Home Abuse - Physical Neglect

Nursing home residents are typically elderly, frail, disabled and in many cases, unable to care for themselves. Nursing homes become the place where many nursing home residents are subject to neglect of varying kinds.

Physical neglect can lead to many different medical and physical ailments for nursing home residents. Physical neglect can occur in a variety of manners that include poor hygiene, development of bedsores, malnutrition, signs of physical harm or even assaults, injuries from falls and physical and sexual abuse. The usual primary caregiver is a nurse, a nurse’s aide or a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse.

Physical neglect can appear on a nursing home resident evidenced by bruising, cuts, and even unwitnessed fractures from falls or assaults. Any substandard condition at a nursing home, whether at the bathing areas, bathrooms or dining room areas can lead to serious physical and medical problems for the nursing home resident. Physical neglect is just one of the many common results that result in hospitalizations and even death to nursing home residents who are victimized by poor staffing or just simply unknowing nursing home personnel.

The family and loved ones for the elderly who are living in nursing homes need to give the resident their devoted time, assistance and importantly keen observation of physical changes. Clearly the rise in the number of Americans reaching the age or faced with new infirmities or illnesses has increased sharply the numbers of residents housed in nursing homes. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published its report indicating that almost 90 million Americans have reached the age of 65 years. That is double the number from just four years prior, 2010.

As our elderly reach the point of needing nursing home residency, the tough choice of where and when to place a parent, spouse or loved one in that setting is vitally important for many reasons. Most nursing homes are extremely expensive where the estimated median cost is in the range of $87,500 per year.

Some of Illinois’ nursing homes and long-term care facilities are operated by companies who count their profits as it principal mission, not the health, safety and conscientious attention to the care of their residents. Medicaid and Medicare are generally the bulk payers of the costs of housing residents at these facilities. The more disreputable nursing homes are often cited by the Illinois Department of Health for violations of requirements such as the number of qualified personnel attending to residents based on the number of beds in the facility. Naturally understaffing leads to many nursing home abuses including physical abuse. Physical neglect in nursing home abuse cases can take the form of bed sores, open wounds, bruising, broken bones, head injuries, traumatic brain injuries from falls, wandering and the onset of infections that be fatal. All of the neglect can be traced to inadequate or inconsistent medication distribution, uncaring or absent caregivers, management who is disinterested in improving the quality of care in favor of profits.

Because mistreatment and physical neglect at nursing homes can lead to serious injuries, illnesses and death, it is so important for loved one, the adult children and grandchildren of the resident and spouses to make frequent and unannounced lengthy visits to the nursing home. Observe any changes in care and report any suspicious conditions to the nursing administrator in person. Demands for better care are not usually ignored or considered unreasonable. The health and well-being of your loved one is and must be the number one priority of the nursing home and its staff of medical providers.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of nursing home abuse, contact Kreisman Law Offices. You need an expert attorney in this area of the law to help you with any issues that arise at a nursing home.

Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois nursing home abuse cases for more than 40 years. Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding communities and has successfully resolved cases for those injured or abused in nursing homes for these many years.

With our years of experience in trying and settling nursing home abuse cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients and have achieved unsurpassed results. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online.

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