How to Recognize Nursing Home Neglect | Birmingham, AL

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How to Recognize Nursing Home Neglect

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

Deciding to put a loved one in a nursing home is an incredibly difficult decision to make. You can do everything right in researching and seeking a safe place for your loved one, but sometimes that is not enough. Unfortunately, even the best nursing homes face negligence issues. 

What is nursing home neglect?

Nursing home neglect occurs when a nursing care plan is unreasonably denied, delayed or interfered with by nursing home staff. Nursing home neglect may be directly related to the physical environment (such as unsanitary conditions), nursing procedures (routine neglect of resident hygiene) or health care (failure to administer prescribed medications).

Some common forms that nursing homes neglect are:

  • Failure to provide basic necessities for living such as clothing, food and bedding
  • Failure to prevent exposure to hazards like fire, broken stairs and other dangerous situations
  • Failure to help residents maintain their independence through training on daily living activities like self-feeding, toileting and bathing

Nursing home neglect is a real problem, and it can be tough to recognize. Often, people don’t know what to look for, or they trust that their loved ones are being taken care of properly. Do you have a loved one in a nursing home?

Signs of nursing home neglect

Because most nursing home patients are elderly, it can be easy to mistake abuse or neglect for aging. Be aware of these signs of negligence, so you can take action, if necessary:

  • Bruising
  • Broken bones
  • Tears of the skin
  • Bedsores, also known as pressure sores and decubitus ulcers
  • Malnutrition
  • Dehydration
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Unusual levels of confusion
  • Untreated illnesses
  • Unexplained injuries

If you notice any of these signs of negligence when visiting your loved one, start by addressing the nursing home staff and work your way up if changes are not made to address the problems or injuries. If things do not improve, consider moving your loved one to another nursing home and contacting a nursing home negligence attorney.

Contact Petro Accident & Injury Attorneys

The elderly are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. At Petro Accident & Injury Attorneys, we are passionate about going above and beyond to protect those who have experienced nursing home negligence and/or abuse.

If you have experienced the pain and tragedy of nursing home negligence in Alabama, contact Mark Petro of Petro Accident & Injury Attorneys for a complimentary, no-obligation 30 minute, nursing home abuse and neglect strategy session. You deserve an attorney who understands your case and cares about getting the results right. Let us fight for you and your loved one!

Request a FREE copy of Mark’s book, The Truth About Injury Claims here.

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