Nursing Home Neglect

If you need an attorney for nursing home neglect in St Louis – we have over 35 years’ experience. Elderly patients who are bedridden or unable to reposition themselves are vulnerable to the formation of pressure ulcers (bedsores). This vulnerability will often lead to the development of ulcers in a nursing home that neglects to provide for a resident’s proper nutrition, hydration, hygiene and positioning. Closer supervision is also required of patients who suffer from diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and decreased mobility.

Elderly Neglect

Elderly neglect often occurs in nursing homes where a facility fails to provide adequate staffing to meet resident needs. Nursing homes are required to prepare, not just daily census reports, but acuity reports which detail the illnesses, medications and levels of assistance required to care for its residents. Elderly neglect is common when nursing homes fail to provide a sufficiently trained nursing staff to address high acuity rates of a large geriatric population.

Nursing Home Injuries

The most common nursing home injuries arise from falls and cases of residents wandering around or away from (elopement) a nursing facility. The key to fall prevention is comprehensive resident assessment to identify all potential causes of falls. These include medications, underlying illness assessment, mobility and assisted device use, visual status, assessment of mental status, and review of extrinsic and environmental risks.

Nursing homes must also identify those residents who are at risk for wandering or elopement. The standard of care requires that each facility create a care plan to address this risk, develop a prevention program, manage the risk by appropriate staff intervention, and maintain a staff that is promptly mobilized to locate a resident.

Many elopement injuries result from confused elderly residents who wander off the premises and suffer injuries due to exposure or accidents.

If you need an attorney for elderly neglect in St Louis – call for a free consultation.