Pages

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Nursing Home Neglect and What to Do About It

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated two million people over the age of 65 are currently residents of nursing homes. Of these many become victims of neglect and abuse each year. If you have a loved one living in an assisted living center, you should recognize the early signs of neglect or abuse to put a stop to it and hold those at fault legally responsible.

Differentiating Neglect from Abuse

In legal terms, neglect and abuse are two different and separate categories. Abuse is defined as willful infliction of injury, intimidation, unreasonable confinement or cruel punishment resulting in pain, mental anguish, harm and deprivation by a caregiver. Neglect, on the other hand, is the denial of needs, such as medical care, clothing, hygiene, shelter, and food. 

Common Signs of Neglect

Recognizing the common warning signs of neglect is the first thing to bringing offending individuals to justice. Keep an eye out for signs, like deteriorating hygiene, lack of food, dirty living space, improper medication, soiled clothing or bedding, appearance of bedsores and lack of basic necessities.

Legal Action Against Liable Individuals

Neglect can have a significantly negative impact on the health and it is only right that you hold those responsible liable for their actions, with the help of a personal injury lawyer. Some of the people you can hold accountable for negligent treatment of your loved one are the staff, healthcare providers, third-party contractors, another resident, and other guests.

No comments:

Post a Comment