Nursing home negligence is on the rise in Michigan. According to the most recent data from the Michigan State Government, at least 73,000 elderly adults have been victims of some form of abuse or neglect.
This statistic is alarming, especially if you have a loved one in a nursing care facility. If you do, you need to know the signs of nursing home negligence to file a claim.
Seeing the signs of nursing home negligence isn’t always easy. However, the following signs are giveaways that a nursing care facility is not following the state’s standard of care for nursing homes.
Do you have a loved one in long-term care? If you do, you need to read this. Watch out for these signs that may indicate nursing home negligence in Michigan.
The Facility Is Understaffed
All nursing care facilities must have adequate staff to attend to the needs of elderly residents. Not all residents will receive the right level of care without sufficient staff members.
The Staff Is Poorly Trained
Besides having sufficient staff, nursing care facilities must ensure that staff members have the qualifications and training required for their roles. If a care facility has poorly trained staff, residents are at risk of falls, medication errors, and other health issues arising from human error.
Slow Response to Call Lights or Requests for Help
One of the indicators of insufficient staff and dilapidated call systems is delayed response. Whenever staff members take forever to attend to a resident’s call, the home fails to cater to a resident’s wellness and safety. Worse yet, delayed response times can lead to wrongful death, especially if a resident is having a medical emergency.
Residents Are Not Given Enough to Eat or Drink
Nursing care homes should cater to every resident’s dietary needs. Any failure to do this constitutes gross negligence on the part of the nursing home.
Nursing homes must also tailor their food to the unique needs of residents. After all, not every resident will have identical nutritional needs. Like providing insufficient nutrition, a cookie-cutter approach to elderly nutrition is also an act of neglect.
Medications Are Not Properly Administered
Nursing care facilities have residents with chronic conditions. These conditions require regular medications that — when missed — can lead to disaster. When staff fail to administer the right medications on time, the home will be liable for a medication error. As a result, you can file a medical malpractice or nursing home negligence claim against the care facility.
Residents Are Not Given Proper Exercise or Activities
Immobility can lead to bedsores, collapsed lungs, and psychological deprivation. For this reason, care staff must ensure that residents receive their daily dose of activity and exercise. The failure to provide sufficient diversional activities can indicate poor staffing, ill-qualified staff, and neglect.
Injuries Such As Falls and Pressure Wounds Are Common
Falls and pressure wounds can lead to serious injuries such as broken bones, paralysis, and even death in extreme cases. As a result of the negligence, residents may suffer from anxiety, depression, and the inability to live independently.
Are You Suspecting Nursing Home Negligence? Call GT&B Today
Your loved one doesn’t deserve to be the victim of nursing home negligence. If you suspect a nursing home is negligent in its duties, you’ll need a personal injury attorney in Michigan.
We’re here, ready to represent you and your loved one ethically and aggressively in Michigan. Reach out now for a free initial consultation.
Jonathan Ashton, Partner and Personal Injury Attorney, began his law career at GT&B in 2007 as a law clerk. He was hired as an associate immediately after passing the Ohio Bar in 2008. Jonathan practices in Personal Injury, representing clients who have been injured and need justice and compensation for them to move forward in their lives.
