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Nursing home residents in California are extremely vulnerable to neglect. In fact, there are tens of thousands of complaints of nursing home neglect and abuse filed in the U..S. every year. A 2020 study by the World Health Organization found that 64% of nursing home workers admit that they have somehow neglected or abused their patients.
Types of Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing home neglect refers to a failure to provide essential care for nursing home patients. Since nursing home patients require 24-hour help with all of their basic needs, there are many different needs that can be neglected, such as:
- Medical care
- Hygiene
- Diet
- Clean environment
- Supervision
- Social engagement
- Movement
Nursing home employees don’t always neglect patients on purpose. Sometimes, nursing home patients suffer from neglect due to understaffing. Whatever the cause of this type of elder abuse, it is extremely unsafe for patients. Neglect can lead to accidents, emotional declines and medical problems.
Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Bedsores are one of the most obvious and common signs of nursing home neglect. If you notice that an elderly loved one has bedsores, it usually means that they are not being repositioned or allowed opportunities for movement. Bedsores can also indicate that a nursing home patient is suffering from poor hygiene.
Other signs of nursing home neglect are unexplained injuries, bruises and rapid physical and mental declines. Your elderly loved one may not be able to communicate what’s going on, so it’s important to look for sudden and unexplained changes in their health or behavior.
What Can You Do About Nursing Home Neglect?
You can prevent or stop nursing home neglect by understanding the difference between signs of neglect and the normal aging process. If you suspect that your loved one is being neglected, you can report your suspicions to nursing home managers and Adult Protective Services.