Nursing Home Neglect
or Abuse

Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee

One of the hardest decisions that any family faces is placing a loved one or a family member in a nursing home or assisted living facility. It is even more emotionally devastating to see a loved one suffer at the hands of over-worked, under-trained, neglectful or abusive staff members in one of these facilities. All too often the residents in our nation's nursing homes who are generally elderly and the most vulnerable members of our society are not provided the level of care and assistance that they deserve. Rather, they are often abused, neglected and ignored.

Federal and state laws establish high standards for nursing homes for providing care to residents. Unfortunately, some nursing homes don't always meet these standards. They risk the health and lives of their residents by trying to maximize their profits by using unqualified, underpaid and under-supervised staff. Too often, this creates an environment where abuse and neglect of residents is unavoidable and severe life-threatening injuries are the result. Residents and their families trust nursing homes and their staffs to provide them with food, water, medication and all other basic needs and to assist them with activities of daily living such as eating, drinking, bathing and grooming. When these things are not provided in a compassionate, competent and timely manner in accordance with state and federal laws, residents suffer.

Nursing Home Neglect
Neglecting residents' basic needs is the number one kind of abuse and neglect in nursing homes. As a result of failing to meet basic needs and core components of a resident's plan of care, residents are put at risk for serious injuries. These injuries include:

• Falls
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Bed Sores
• The Link Between Bed Sores and Sepsis
• Medication Errors
• Death

These injuries are often brought about specific failures on the part of the nursing home administration and staff that include:

• Failure to Supervise the Resident
• Failure to Provide a Safe and Secure Environment
• Failure to Assist the Resident with Activities of Daily Living
• Failure to Follow the Resident's Plan of Care
• Failure to Administer Medication Correctly; and
• Failure to Provide Care and Treatment in a Timely Manner

Nursing Home Abuse
It is an unfortunate fact that in some nursing homes there are instances of physical, mental and sexual abuse. Residents sometime suffer abuse at the hands of other residents, strangers and even staff members who are paid to protect and care for residents. Physical abuse can include:

• Incidents involving Slapping, Hitting, kicking and choking
• Illegally Restraining a Resident Physically or with Medication
• Sexual Battery

Injuries associated with abuse may include unexplained broken bones, burns, bruises, cuts and lacerations. In some cases, strange or unexplained injuries that appear on the wrists, ankles or the neck of a resident could be consistent with restraints, choking or rough treatment by nursing home staff.

Mental and emotional abuse may not be as visible as physical abuse, but is just as harmful. Mental and Emotional Abuse includes:

• Verbal Abuse and Harassment
• Intimidation
• Isolation from other Residents, Staff, Friends and Family

If you or a loved one has suffered neglect or abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility, you have the legal rights that the lawyers at Burke, Harvey & Frankowski are here to defend and protect. Our lawyers are handling cases for nursing home residents and their families in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and other states in the Southeast. We are here to help. Call or email our law firm today for a free consultation.

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