Moving your loved one into a Knoxville nursing home can be a difficult time. For many elderly people with complicated medical conditions, a nursing home provides a safe environment with around-the-clock medical care, plus assistance with the tasks of daily living. However, not all Knox County nursing homes are safe, comfortable places for frail seniors. Some are full of rampant elder abuse and neglect which is considered nursing home malpractice. In fact, nursing home abuse in Knoxville is a growing concern for many families in east Tennessee.
Nursing Home Abuse Is a National Crisis
Many people in nursing homes cannot advocate for themselves and are vulnerable to neglect or abuse by care workers in assisted living and nursing home facilities. A senate report identified nearly a dozen underperforming nursing homes in Tennessee and a further 400 more across the country – some of them right here in Knoxville.
Nearly 25% of assisted living and nursing home residents have been victims of elder abuse or neglect. Nursing home neglect is covered by the Tennessee Healthcare Liability Act and is illegal in Tennessee. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused in a nursing home, a nursing home abuse lawyer like James Higgins can help.
Spotting Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Abuse, negligence, and neglect in nursing homes can take many forms. Some indications of abuse may be attributed to mobility difficulties or injuries sustained by dementia patients. Understanding what to look for when you visit your friend or family member in an assisted living community can help you ask the right questions and prevent malpractice.
Here are some things to look for when visiting the nursing home:
Bedsores
Many people in nursing homes spend a lot of time in a bed and may be unable to move independently. Without regular rotation and movement, bedsores develop on their joints, feet, hips, and back, or any place that bones press against their fragile skin. Left untreated, bedsores can become infected and may even lead to death.
Bone Fractures
Falls are the most common cause of fractures for nursing home residents. Care workers are responsible for ensuring that those with mobility difficulties receive assistance with walking or moving from sitting to standing. Failure to adequately assist a nursing home resident results in drops or falls.
Emotional Abuse
Verbal and emotional abuse can be very common in nursing home situations, especially in places where the homes are chronically short-staffed or the staff is poorly trained. Signs that your loved one is experiencing emotional abuse, including changes in personality, withdrawal, loss of interest in their favorite activities, and fear or nervousness around the staff.
Malnutrition
Nursing home residents need proper nutrition and adequate hydration to reduce the severity of their illnesses. Bedsores, infections, falls, and decreased energy or weight loss are all indications of malnutrition. Nursing homes typically log how much, how often, and what their residents eat and are responsible for providing nutritious, tasty food.
Medication Mismanagement
Errors in distributing the wrong dosage or type of medication are due to negligence on the part of the nursing home staff. Mistakes like that can quickly become fatal, either by giving the person the wrong medicine or withholding the correct one.
Death
Victims of nursing home abuse have a 300% higher mortality rate than those who are well-cared for. Nursing home residents are easy targets for chronic neglect and abuse. If your loved one died suddenly or suspiciously, their care facility may be responsible.
Challenges in Nursing Homes
Many nursing homes in Knox County are affected by understaffing or poorly trained staff. While many caretakers may not intend malicious harm to the residents, a low staff-to-resident ratio or lack of training may leave residents unattended or in dangerous situations.
Other times, people may have malicious intent and target helpless nursing home residents. Don’t let your loved one suffer. Seek legal advice from a professional nursing home abuse lawyer.
Is Your Loved One a Victim of Nursing Home Wrongful Neglect?
If someone you love is being neglected or harmed in their assisted living or nursing home facility, you can protect them. Call an experienced nursing home neglect attorney, like James Higgins, to investigate your case.
If someone you loved died in a nursing home and you suspect it was because of poor care or neglect, you may have a case against the facility for wrongful death. Every set of circumstances is different, but nursing home neglect won’t stop until those responsible are held accountable.
Call The Higgins Firm Today
If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing neglect r abuse in their Knox County nursing home, don’t wait – contact James Higgins today. Our law firm has over 25 years of experience pursuing nursing home wrongful deaths and neglect in Knoxville, and we can help your loved one or get justice for your family.
The insurance company has a legal team. You should too.