What is Considered Nursing Home Neglect?

Nursing home neglect, which is under the category of nursing home abuse, happens when a resident doesn’t receive proper care and, consequently, sustains mental or physical issues. The neglected person becomes anxious and fearful and suddenly develops trust issues. Many also get physically injured. Some injuries may be minor, such as bruises, scratches, welts, or bruises, while others may be more severe and cause debilitating injuries, such as bedsores, broken bones, and head injuries.

Tragically, these injuries can aggravate existing health issues or, worse, premature death. But nursing home neglect can be very subtle and difficult to detect since many residents already suffer from underlying conditions with symptoms that might mimic signs of neglect. Their conditions may prevent them from reporting their experiences.

Unfortunately, neglect can be more challenging to detect and recognize if someone suffers from dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other memory problems. This is why loved ones and family members must always be on the lookout for signs of neglect. If you are currently living in a nursing home or have a loved one in a nursing home, here are the different types of nursing home neglect you should be aware of.

Neglecting Basic Living Necessities

With this kind of nursing home neglect, people in the nursing home fail to give the residents their basic living needs. This may involve:

• Not giving the resident sufficient water and food
• Not cleaning the resident’s rooms or common areas regularly
• Failure to keep the resident’s room or common areas at a relaxing or comfortable level

Neglecting The Resident’s Personal Hygiene

When the people who are supposed to care for nursing home residents fail to attend to the resident’s personal hygiene, their health and appearance will significantly suffer. Poor hygiene can even result in potentially deadly consequences, including outbreaks of severe or fatal infections. Personal hygiene neglect may involve:

• Improperly or not bathing residents
• Failing to regularly check in with the residents
• Failure to change the resident’s clothes or bedding

Medical Neglect

This type of nursing home abuse happens when the staff does not meet the medical and health care requirements of the residents, such as:

• Not administering medications as needed or regularly
• Failing to report warning signs of illnesses or infections to doctors or nurses
• Failing to move mobility-challenged residents regularly, increasing their risk of developing bedsores
• Improper or lack of medical care for existing health issues, such as dementia or diabetes

Emotional and Social Neglect

Social interactions help improve mood and mental health outcomes. But nursing home staff can commit emotional and social neglect if they don’t provide the necessary social interaction to residents, such as when:

• Isolating vulnerable residents
• Failing to move residents with serious mental or mobility issues
• Failing to provide walkers, wheelchairs, or canes so that residents can freely move around the home and interact with other residents

Consult With a Skilled Tampa Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today

Reach out to the Tampa nursing home abuse lawyer at Mickey Keenan, PA, right away if you suspect you are being neglected or a loved one is being neglected. We’ll ensure that your or your loved one’s rights and safety will be protected. Dial 813-871-1300 or contact us online to arrange your appointment today.