It is heart wrenching to learn or suspect that someone you love is being neglected or abused while residing in a nursing home in Wisconsin. Your loved one is in their golden years of their life and should be treated with respect and dignity. But sometimes nursing home staff treat residents with less care than they deserve. Even your loved ones residing in nursing homes and senior centers in Brookfield, Wisconsin could be at risk.
Typical Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing home neglect can take several forms, and neglect can go undetected or unreported for a long time. Residents might be afraid to bring attention to their situation, think that they are being a bother by reporting it, or might be mentally unable to understand or comprehend that they are being neglected. That is why it is important to be on the lookout for signs of neglect when you are visiting with your loved one. Typical signs of neglect can include:
- Poor hygiene or generally unkempt appearance. Is your loved one clean and looking healthy? Are his or her clothes clean and is his or her hair of facial hair being cut or trimmed regularly? Does it look like someone is taking care of your loved one? These could be signs that your loved one is being neglected by staff.
- Development of bedsores. Some elderly people have trouble moving around, or might be immobilized in some way. They might be wheelchair- or bed-bound. In order to protect these elderly individuals from developing bedsores, they need to be moved or repositioned every so often. When nursing home staff fails to reposition residents who need it, and the resident develops bedsores as a result, it could be a sign of nursing home neglect.
- Development of other medical problems. Does it seem like your loved one is always sick with a cold or infection? It might be a sign that your loved one is not getting the medical care that he or she needs. The development of medical conditions or problems that are generally preventable if proper care is given might be a sign that someone is not giving your loved one the care they need. Bladder infections, the development of pneumonia, and bedsores are all examples of medical conditions that generally are preventable if proper care is given to residents.
- Injuries resulting from preventable accidents. Elderly people tend to suffer more serious injuries when they fall victim to an accident due to their old age, poor reflexes and brittle physiology. Nursing home staff should constantly be on the lookout for preventable accidents and should be taking measures to eliminate risk of accidents to residents.
Common Reasons Why Nursing Home Neglect Happens
Nursing home neglect can come about for a number of reasons. Some of the most common reasons why nursing home residents suffer harm and neglect include:
- Inadequate staffing levels at the nursing home. This could include too few nursing home staff members, or too few registered nurses or doctors available at the nursing home facility.
- Staff that does not care about residents. Perhaps the staff is too poorly compensated to care about their job, or perhaps the employees feel like they are entitled to more. Perhaps they feel like a glorified babysitter and don’t appreciate what they are doing for the elderly people that they care for.
If you are concerned that your loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse in Brookfield, Wisconsin, do not wait to contact a nursing home neglect lawyer. Contact the Groth Law Firm, S.C. today for a free, confidential consultation. Our number is 877-375-7001. We can help you determine if you have a case and assist you through the legal process.