In Nevada, thousands trust the care of their elderly loved ones to the personnel at nursing home facilities. While most nursing homes in this state are professionally operated and staffed, other nursing home facilities are not. Understaffing and a lack of proper training are typically the root causes underlying abuse or mistreatment in nursing facilities. If you suspect that an elderly member of your family is suffering any kind of abuse at a nursing home in Nevada, take your concerns at once to an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney.
While nursing homes are trusted to care for elderly and often frail family members, unfortunately nursing home residents are sometimes exploited, mistreated, or even physically abused. The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that 36% of America’s nursing homes have violated elder abuse laws. Neglect or abuse in Nevada nursing facilities may include:
- Dehydration and Malnutrition
- Verbal, emotional, or physical abuse
- Excessive restraint
- Failing to observe residents (to thwart falls or other incidents)
- Negligence or malpractice and any ensuing medical complications
- Ulcers or bed sores caused by neglecting the bedridden
Financial exploitation of the elderly also seems to be increasing in nursing homes. Financial exploitation can include stealing money or jewelry, forging signatures, cashing checks without authorization, or tricking someone into signing a document such as a contract or a will. Families with loved ones in long-term nursing facilities should be in constant communication with the facility’s staff, make surprise visits, and stay alert.
If you discover any signs of abuse or financial exploitation, or if you simply suspect that your elderly relative is being abused in a nursing home, speak immediately to an experienced personal injury lawyer who will fight for your family’s rights. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of your loved ones. In the Las Vegas area, schedule a consultation with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney as quickly as possible.
Anxieties about nursing home facilities are one of the primary reasons that home healthcare agencies have expanded and grown in popularity in recent years. However, these agencies sometimes have their own issues. When home healthcare providers fail to deliver the adequate care they’ve promised, their patients have the right to sue negligent providers for damages. Home healthcare negligence can include but is not limited to:
- dehydration or malnutrition
- sexual or physical abuse
- medication errors
- failing to prevent bedsores
- failing to prevent or respond to falls or other dangerous situations
- failing to prevent a confused patient from wandering off
If your loved one has been injured or abused while in the care of a home healthcare agency in the Las Vegas area, discuss your concerns at once with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney. A good personal injury lawyer will examine the case, explain your legal alternatives, and fight for your elderly loved one’s rights. Your lawyer can also decide if a crime has transpired and if law enforcement should be notified. If you discover any sign of financial exploitation or neglect, take proper action at once. Nothing is a higher priority than the health and safety of your family. Let an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney show you what steps to take and help your family obtain the compensation and justice you deserve. If you believe abuse is ongoing, make the call now.
Bedsores
Bedsores are one of the most noticeable signs of physical abuse, so you should always check your loved one for bedsores during a visit. Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, are the result of continual, localized pressure on the skin. They commonly develop on skin over bony parts of the body such as the hips, ankles, heels, and tailbones. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that patients suffering with bedsores can be found in about one out of ten nursing homes in the U.S. Most nursing homes in Nevada are professionally operated; some are not.
Bedsores do not have to happen to loved ones in nursing homes. Bedsores can be prevented if proper care is provided by nursing home personnel. Sadly, though, many nursing homes in Nevada fail to provide a professional level of care. Families with beloved relatives in nursing homes should know the signs of bedsores and the action to take if these sores are found. If you suspect your loved one may be suffering abuse in a nursing home, or if you discover any other signs of neglect or abuse, take action immediately. Speak to an attorney as soon as possible to discuss what options you have to pursue legal action against the nursing home.
Besides bedsores, there are many other signs that your loved one could be being abused or neglected in a nursing home or home healthcare agency. If a loved one appears to be withdrawn or emotionally agitated, he or she may be a victim of nursing home abuse. Be on the lookout for sudden changes in behavior, too. If a loved one asks to be alone and this is out of the ordinary, it could be a sign of abuse. If your loved one suddenly does not want to be touched or hugged, or begins to rock back and forth, this may be a sign of abuse. Has your loved one began to gain or lose weight unexpectedly? This could mean that there is abuse taking place within the nursing home.
Ask your loved one whether he or she has heard any stories from other people there about abuse. Has anyone left the nursing home and wandered away without supervision? Has anyone had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency medical care? Have there been fights or scuffles between two or more residents of the nursing home? All of these situations could indicate that there are not enough members of the staff to care for everyone within the home.
When you visit, look for unexplained injuries such as minor bruises, scratches or welts that weren’t there the last time you saw your loved one. Check the sanitary condition of the room that your loved one stays in and other areas within the facility.
