Know the Most Common Complaints the Elderly Face in Nursing Homes and the Available Mechanisms for Relatives to File a Claim and Protect Their Loved Ones
Aging is a natural process; thankfully, people live longer, healthier lives. Frequently the elderly reach an age when they cannot take complete care of themselves. Assisted living centers provide essential daily care, such as helping residents with their medications and ensuring they eat regularly. Seniors live in their apartments or condominiums and participate in various community activities. There is some supervision, and medical staff provides any necessary care, but for the most part, the seniors are independent.
Why Families Choose Nursing Home Care for their Loved Ones
As we age, we need more help with daily tasks and cannot look after ourselves. Physical conditions such as osteoporosis, stroke, heart disease, or other debilitating illnesses can inhibit our ability to move about or weaken us. Mental issues such as dementia or Alzheimer’s can impair our ability to think, dress, speak, or understand language.
To keep our elderly family members safe, sometimes it is best to admit them into a nursing home. It is not an easy decision, and there is a stigma attached to using care facilities, but if round-the-clock care is necessary for many families, it may be the best option. Nursing homes provide safety that perhaps isn’t possible at home. The installations are built specifically for a senior’s needs to prevent accidents. Also, medication management is another safety issue. Accidentally doubling a dose or forgetting to take medication could lead to an emergency.
In a nursing home, specialists give medication, watch for symptoms of reactions to new medications, and make recommendations to the health support staff. Providing housekeeping for nursing home residents allows them to enjoy their surroundings without having to muster up the strength to wash clothes and dishes or do the housecleaning. Elderly care facilities also provide something significant to everyone’s health and well-being: companionship. In their little community, seniors can play cards, watch movies, do arts and crafts, enjoy music, and much more.
Understanding Common Injuries in Nursing Homes in NJ
Any time an elderly person is hurt at a senior residential care facility, it is considered a nursing home injury. The elderly have a greater risk of certain health conditions such as sprains, strains, broken bones, or severe infections. Although their family has placed them in a facility to prevent those injuries from taking place, sometimes they still do. Nursing home abuse is a reality that can leave seniors sick, disabled, and traumatized.
Bedrail injuries are caused when an extremity becomes stuck between the mattress and the bed rail. Also, sometimes the frailest of residents will become pressed between the bed rail and the mattress, making it difficult for them to breathe. According to the Commission on Nursing Home Safety, which investigated from 2016-2020 into bed rail accidents, approximately 4,000 bedrail accidents occur in nursing homes every year, and nearly 50% result in fatalities.
Bedsores are another common nursing home injury. They are caused when blood flow is lost to areas of the skin for an extended period. They are ubiquitous in areas with little muscle or fat, such as the ankles, tailbone, and hips. They must be treated immediately, as they can quickly worsen and become infected, sometimes into the bone. Bedsores are especially dangerous for diabetics or others who are immunologically compromised. These patients succumb to sepsis more readily, and the result often is death.