How to Recognize Nursing Home Neglect

Unfortunately, neglect in nursing homes is not uncommon.

Nursing home neglect occurs when a resident does not receive the level of care that he or she requires. Neglect can cause serious harm to a resident, including severe injuries, illnesses and infections.

If you are unfamiliar with the signs of nursing home neglect, PKSD’s experienced Milwaukee nursing home abuse attorneys have provided this guide to help you recognize if a resident is being neglected.

Types of Nursing Home Neglect

There are many ways a nursing home resident can be neglected and deprived of the care he or she needs. Several of the most commonly reported forms of nursing home neglect include neglect of:

• Emotional care: This is a form of emotional abuse where the resident is consistently ignored, left alone or berated by a caregiver or staff member.
• Hygiene: This occurs when a nursing home resident’s hygiene declines because he or she is not helped with laundry, cleaning, bathing, dental care and personal grooming. The resident is often left in unsanitary conditions that may create a health risk.
• Basic needs: This occurs when the nursing home neglects to provide residents with food, water, or a safe and clean environment. • Medical care: This occurs when the nursing home fails to provide adequate attention, care and prevention for serious medical conditions. It can also include failing to provide a resident with the care he or she requires, such as properly administering medications.

Our nursing home abuse attorneys have a strong knowledge of Wisconsin’s caregiver neglect laws and the forms of neglect a resident can suffer. We understand the seriousness of this issue and will help you take action to improve your loved one’s situation.

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect, unfortunately, often goes unnoticed or unreported because many people are unable to recognize signs of abuse and neglect when they occur.

When you visit your loved one, look for these signs to identify a potential problem or indication that he or she is being neglected:

If your loved one has been neglected in a nursing home, you should immediately contact the proper authorities.

What Kind of Condition is the Nursing Home in?

The appearance of your loved one’s nursing home may be an indicator of how residents are treated by staff members and caregivers.

You should look for environmental hazards that seem unsafe for elderly people, such as:

Nursing homes residents are at an increased risk for serious diseases, infections, injuries and death. They should be provided with a sanitary, safe and organized environment that tends to their individual needs.

Causes of Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect is often the result of substandard conditions among the facility’s staff members and caregivers. This can include:

If you are able, carefully review the nursing home you consider placing your loved one in. A nursing home should have enough staff members and care providers to adequately care for its residents and provide for their needs.

How Can I Prevent Nursing Home Neglect?

In order for you to end acts of nursing home neglect, you will need to communicate with your loved one to know when he or she is receiving substandard treatment.

You will need to gain a clear understanding of how your loved one is being neglected and determine the action you should take to report nursing home abuse and neglect.

To prevent future acts of neglect from happening, you should regularly visit your loved one in the nursing home. This will let staff members and caregivers know that your loved one is looked after and you have high expectations regarding his or her level of care.

Contact a Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Any act of nursing home negligence or abuse is unacceptable and a betrayal of trust we place in these institutions to care for our elderly loved ones.

PKSD’s dedicated nursing home abuse attorneys will help you determine if your loved one is entitled legal justice and compensation for the neglect he or she has suffered.

We will review your case during a free, no obligation consultation. If we conclude you have a valid legal case, we provide our services on a contingency fee basis. You will only have to pay us if we recover damages for your claim.

Call 414-333-3333 if your loved one has been neglected in a nursing home.