Common Issues in Nursing Homes to Watch For

Making the decision to place a loved one into a nursing home is extremely difficult. Unfortunately, seniors often require round-the-clock care that family members are unable to provide. It is impossible to know for sure if your loved one will suffer from nursing home abuse when you admit them into a long-term care facility. However, there are some issues you can watch for that may indicate abuse and neglect is more likely. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney outlines the biggest issues that you should consider as red flags.

Availability of Staff Members 

If you find that there is a shortage of staff members when you are first touring a facility, it is likely that there will not be enough staff members to care for your loved one. When nursing homes do not provide proper staffing levels, it is inevitable that residents will suffer from neglect and abuse.

When touring any facility, check how many staff members are present and ask about the average number of staff members the facility typically has at one time. Remember that facilities may have different staffing levels throughout the day, so you may want to visit at different times. Additionally, make sure any nursing home you are considering has registered nurses on duty and licensed practical nurses available on request.

Response Time 

Slow response times is one of the most common complaints in nursing home facilities. It is critical that staff members respond quickly to the needs of the patients in their care. For example, if a resident cannot get out of bed on their own, they may call a staff member to help them. If they do not get the quick care they need, they may develop bed sores and suffer serious harm. Always ask about the resident-to-staff member ratio to ensure there are enough staff members that can provide quick response times.

Quality and Taste of Food 

The variety, taste, and quality of food is another very common complaint in nursing homes. Of course, nursing homes must provide full meals three times a day to ensure that residents are properly nourished. That food must also be very nutritious so residents do not suffer harm. It is important to remember that while nursing homes legally must provide these basic needs, they should also do more than that. They should offer high quality choices that are tailored to a resident’s specific health needs, and that the food they offer is tasty so residents are fully comfortable.

Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Tampa Can Help if You Spot Issues 

Identifying issues in a nursing home is always concerning and you may not know what to do next. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney can advise you of your legal options and help you and your family claim the full compensation you are entitled to. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or chat with us online to request a free review of your case and to get the legal advice you need.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html