How to Help Your Loved One Recover from a Broken Bone Due to Neglect
Nursing home staff members and administrators are supposed to keep your loved ones safe. Unfortunately, they are the same people that cause serious injuries to the residents in their care. Broken bones are just one way residents become harmed in nursing homes. While broken bones are common injuries for people of all ages, for elderly nursing home residents, they can be life-changing, or even fatal. Below, our Tampa broken bones attorney explains the dangers of these injuries and how you can help your loved one recover.
Why are Broken Bones So Dangerous for Nursing Home Residents?
For the elderly, broken bones are extremely serious. A few of the many dangers nursing home residents face when they break a bone include:
- Limited mobility: Limited mobility can result in greater physical problems such as balance issues and weakness. This can increase the risk of future broken bones, as well as the risk of other medical issues such as infections and bedsores.
- Require surgery: Broken bones often require surgery but for the elderly, anesthesia can be dangerous, particularly if they already suffer from other medical conditions.
- Increased risk of fatality: Studies have shown that when an elderly individual breaks their hip, they are at an increased risk of death within one year.
To ensure that your loved one remains healthy after a broken bone, it is important to know how to help them recover.
How to Help Your Loved One Recover from a Broken Bone
The time after a broken bone is very difficult. Your loved one is likely in a great deal of pain, and you may worry about what the future holds for them. There are three things you can do during this difficult time to help your family member recover. These are as follows:
- Make sure they follow through with all medical treatment: Elderly individuals often suffer from memory issues, so they may not remember to follow through with their doctor’s recommendations. If the broken bone was caused by abuse or neglect, the nursing home may also not make sure your loved one is following through with treatment.
- Remove them from the facility, if necessary: If you feel as though your loved one is in imminent danger, it is critical to remove them from the nursing home as soon as possible.
- Protect their legal rights: A nursing home abuse and neglect attorney can investigate what happened and protect your loved one’s rights so you can all focus on their physical recovery.
Our Broken Bones Attorney in Tampa Can Help After an Injury
Broken bones pose a substantial risk to the elderly. If your loved one has been hurt, they may be entitled to compensation and our Tampa broken bones attorney can help you obtain the full settlement you deserve. At Kohn Law, our experienced attorney is dedicated to helping families and upholding their rights and we will put that expertise to work for you, too. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or contact us online to request a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options.
Source:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html