If nursing home residents spend most of their time in a bed or chair, without being moved by a nursing home attendant, bedsores can develop on their hips, feet, joints, and back-- wherever bones press against fragile skin. If left untreated, bedsores can cause infection, hospitalization, and even death.

Bedsores

Falls are the most common cause of bone fractures in nursing home residents. It is the staff’s responsibility to prevent residents from falling by constantly monitoring them, carefully moving them, and assisting with walking.

Bone Fractures And Breaks

Verbal and emotional abuse can be very painful for nursing home residents. Signs of emotional abuse include changes in personality, loss of interest in activities, withdrawal from or fear of staff or other residents, or worsened depression.

Emotional Abuse

Falls can be caused by any number of things – from medications to malnutrition. Most falls can be prevented by nursing home staff. If your loved one suffered a fall, make sure it was not due to mistreatment, abuse, or neglect.

Falls

Residents who don’t get proper nutrition and hydration are at higher risk for bedsores, infections, and falls. Nursing homes must prevent malnutrition by carefully logging how much residents eat, offering a comfortable environment to eat in, and serving appetizing food.

Malnutrition

Medication Errors

Medication errors are often due to the negligence of nursing home staff. Errors such as distributing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage to a resident can be potentially fatal, as medications may be essential for a resident’s survival. One of the most dangerous and severe medication errors is overmedicating residents.

Sexual Abuse

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse. Many with advanced dementia cannot tell their families what is happening, so loved ones must be hyper-aware of this threat. Signs of sexual abuse include sexually transmitted infections, unexplained cuts or bruising, bleeding in the genital area, and extreme fear of a staff member or other resident.

Death

Elderly people who are abused have a 300% higher risk of death than those who are not. Nursing home residents are common targets for abuse and neglect. If your loved one died suddenly or suspiciously, their nursing facility may be to blame.

Settlement for a California nursing home resident who suffered multiple fractures from a fall. He was 74 and suffered from dementia. The case was settled within a matter of months.

Settlement for a 78-year-old man who developed a bedsore at an Illinois nursing home. He had no skin issues when he was moved to the home to rehabilitate following a stroke.

Settlement for a California woman who eloped from a nursing home due to negligent staff and then fractured her femur due to a fall. She was 94 years old, suffering from dementia and known to be a fall risk.

Settlement for a California man who was admitted to the ICU after he developed a Stage 4 bedsore due to the negligence of nursing home staff. The patient had already suffered from a misdiagnosis and faulty surgery before he arrived at the home.

Settlement for a nursing home patient in Georgia who was admitted to the ICU after developing sepsis from a bedsore as well as a colon infection. This had been caused by her nursing home’s negligence. The case was settled with her estate.

Settlement for a 72-year-old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male employee while living in a rehabilitation center.

Settlement for a client with severe bedsores during her stay at a nursing home. Her family was deeply unhappy with her care and had her transferred.

Settlement for a nursing home resident who fell out of his wheelchair and suffered a serious head injury that eventually led to his death.