We’d all like to assume that professional caregivers have a patient’s best interest at heart and will always act with integrity. However, in the real world, this is not always the case. While there are many care facilities that employ staff who have only the best of intentions, there unfortunately exist a few individuals who do not take the greatest of care when administering to the needs of their charges. Even if the caregiver doesn’t have intentions of causing deliberate harm, neglect, one of the most pervasive causes of injury in nursing homes can result in terrible damage and loss to the patient and his or her family.
The basic needs of a patient such as food and water, when neglected, can cause severe medical complications such as malnutrition and dehydration. More serious conditions can occur when the patient’s medical needs are overlooked. How often do we hear of the elderly and infirm suffering from painful bed sores which could have been easily prevented with proper attention? And the absence of friendly interaction with staff can cause extreme emotional problems for patients as they so desperately need human contact and kindness.
Nursing home employees tend to cite too heavy a workload and often feel a great degree of stress due to being over-burdened. However, this is no excuse for your loved one suffering any type of neglect or abuse. These facilities exist to care for those who cannot care for themselves and they have a responsibility to provide the best possible services available to those whom they are being paid to care for. Therefore, the facilities are responsible for ensuring that the individuals they employ are equally as responsible, but short of 24/7 supervision, this is sometimes beyond the control of the management.
If your loved one has been injured because of nursing home neglect or abuse, call Pittsburgh-based McKenna & Associates today at 1-877-471-6266 for a consultation with one of our Nursing Home Injury experts. Your loved one, AND you, deserve compensation.
