Nursing Home

Our nation's elderly population is growing. Each year, more than 1.5 million Americans are admitted to the more than 20,000 nursing homes in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, the older population is expected to increase rapidly between the years 2010 and 2030 when the "baby boom" generation reaches age 65. By the year 2050, the elderly population is expected to swell to 80 million.

The percentage of admissions to nursing homes increases dramatically with age. Our senior citizens who are in nursing homes are extremely vulnerable. Many of these elderly lack the ability to care for themselves. When there is a problem with the care they receive in nursing homes, many residents have problems communicating these problems to their family members or doctors.

The Cardone Law Firm is committed to battling nursing home neglect. We have the resources to fight nursing homes in court. We have an in-house nursing staff and we have access to nursing home experts – administrators, doctors, and nurses – all over the country. Both federal and state laws provide that we have the right to receive adequate and appropriate health care and protective support services, and we have the right to be treated with the fullest measure of dignity.

Aging is an integral part of the life cycle. Loss of dignity and health as a result of nursing home neglect is not We will fight for your rights or the rights of your loved ones.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

Nursing home neglect or abuse can occur in several ways. Physical or sexual abuse does occur in nursing homes. Often, the abused residents will appear with bruises or other signs of violence, but because of dementia, are unable to identify their assailant or even clearly describe what happened. General nursing neglect occurs when the nursing staff fails to provide the required care in a timely or conscientious manner. Some of the results of nursing neglect are: dehydration, malnutrition, increased incontinence, urinary tract infections, decubitus ulcers (also known as bed sores), increased immobility, accidental burns, untreated pneumonia, and sepsis or septic shock. Sepsis and septic shock occur when an infection is left untreated. Eventually, the blood becomes infected and there is a systemic infection running through the body. Sepsis is often a cause of death in elderly nursing home residents and often, this condition could be prevented if the resident had been timely treated. Broken bones are another symptom that the nursing staff is not performing their job correctly. All nursing homes have fall prevention guidelines, but many nursing homes final to follow their own policies and procedures for preventing unnecessary falls.

Signs to Watch For

• If your loved one is frequently soaked in urine, or laying in his own wastes, this is a sign that regular toileting or diaper changes are not being performed timely.
• When a resident becomes listless and remains in this state for more than a day, often refusing fluid or food, this could be a sign that she is suffering from an infection which requires treatment.
• Bruises, open cuts about the face or hands, fearful behavior ALWAYS warrant further investigation.
• Foul odors, similar to the smell of rancid meat, could mean that your loved one has a painful open wound on his backside, heel, hips, or elbows. Closely examine your loved one's body. Nursing home staff do not always tell the family members when a decubitus ulcer has developed.
• Frequent falls, regardless of whether they result in broken bones, generally mean that the nursing staff is not paying close enough attention to your loved one.