Many Florida residents have loved ones who stay in assisted living facilities. While most of these homes take good care of their patients, too many do not provide appropriate personal and medical care. Even homes with good reputations are prone to neglecting their patients.
There are many reasons neglect happens at nursing facilities:
- Nursing homes have struggled with hiring and keeping qualified staff for decades, but the problem got worse after the upheaval in 2020. Chronic understaffing presents several problems. For example, the team at a nursing home may work long hours and have a lot of demands on their time, creating a stressful environment.
- On a related point, with frequent turnover, a care facility may lack experienced employees to train and mentor newer workers and to their communicate institutional knowledge.
- The profit margin of nursing homes is razor thin, with facilities losing money and many not far from a financial crisis. A facility’s struggle for elusive profits could tempt staff members and managers alike to cut corners or to tolerate substandard care.
- Managers of nursing homes may have a difficult time vetting and supervising employees. Also, when the staff is too busy, they may be prone to skipping or glossing over tasks that could seem like administrative work but are critical for the safety and well-being of patients.
What are the warning signs of nursing home neglect?
Government agencies do inspect nursing homes and will respond to complaints of neglect or abuse. However, the best defense against nursing home neglect is a vigilant family who is watching for early warnings signs that their loved one is not getting proper treatment and care.
Warning signs might include unexplained or new injuries. These injuries are also a sign of possible abuse, but they could indicate that the staff is not properly supervising a patient or supporting their needs.
Signs of malnourishment, including rapid weight loss, is also a sign of neglect. Likewise, poor personal hygiene or unexplained depression or anxiety may be a warning that a nursing home’s staff is not taking care of a family’s loved one.
Despite the best vigilance from families, sometimes neglect still happens in nursing homes. In these cases, families will need to know their legal options.