Maryland: 301-854-9000/410-995-1515 | Northern Virginia: 703-916-1227 | Richmond, Virginia: 804-643-3783 | Washington, D.C.: 202-554-1449

Maryland Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers/ Virginia Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

A nursing home is a place for people who don't need to be in a hospital but can't be cared for at home. Most nursing homes have nursing aides and skilled nurses on hand 24 hours a day. Some nursing homes are set up like a hospital. The staff provides medical care, as well as physical, speech and occupational therapy. There might be a nurses' station on each floor. Other nursing homes try to be more like home. They try to have a neighborhood feel. Often, they don't have a fixed day-to-day schedule, and kitchens might be open to residents. Staff members are encouraged to develop relationships with residents. Some nursing homes have special care units for people with serious memory problems. Some will let couples live together. Nursing homes are not only for the elderly, but for anyone who requires 24-hour care.

Watching our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles grow older has its own set of stresses. As those we love fall victim to the ailments of aging, we worry about our lives without them, all the while learning to provide care for them. We look to medicines, doctors, diets, vitamins—anything we can find—in hopes of keeping them healthy and happy and able to live as independently as they wish. When finally the complications get too great, we turn to an assisted living, nursing home, or other long-term care facility to continue the thoughtful and conscientious care we are no longer able to provide.

Many of these facilities provide excellent care, however, far too many do not. Often understaffed with underpaid and poorly trained employees, many nursing homes push the bottom line so far that they endanger the lives of their patients. If your loved one is injured because of nursing home abuse or neglect, protect his or her rights by contacting Portner & Shure's Maryland nursing home abuse lawyers and Virginia nursing home neglect attorneys.

Nursing Home Abuse

Though many are not aware or find it hard to believe, nursing home abuse is a tragically common occurance. The elderly residents of nursing homes all too often are often deprived of basic needs. Examples of this type of abuse in nursing homes includes:

Witholding food

No access to water

Medication errors

Poor toileting facilities

Inadequate daily care and grooming

Because of this, nursing home residents may suffer serious injuries, including starvation, dehydration, and bed sores. The harmful results of nursing home abuse can range from discomfort, to serious injury, and even death. Elderly residents can become victims because they are physically or mentally unable to communicate that they are suffering from abuse. Understaffed facilities or insufficiently trained employees can contribute to elder abuse cases. A nursing home's emphasis on profits above patient care and comfort can also lead to physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and even wrongful death. 

Signs and Sympoms of Nursing Home Abuse
 
Emotional abuse
                
Withdrawn or Non-communicative 

Strange behavior (including sucking, biting, and rocking)

Dementia or suddent confusion

Low self-esteem and/or depression

Anxiety

Agitation

Mood swings

Involuntary seclusion

Physical abuse

Bed sores 

Frozen joints 

Unexplained accident or injury 

Cuts, abrasions and skin damage 

Broken bones

Sprains

Dislocations

Bruises

Welts

Rapid, unexplained weight loss

Burns

Fearfulness

Broken eyeglasses

Skull fractures

Lacerations

Unwarranted use of physical restraint

Sexual abuse

Unexplained venereal diesease

Genital infections

Vaginal or anal bleeding

Torn or stained underclothing

Bruising around breasts, upper abdomen, or inner thighs

What to do if you Suspect Abuse

Victims of nursing home abuse may be embarrassed and reluctant to speak out because of threats or intimidation by staff members. If you have seen or suspect nursing home abuse, you should get medical attention for the victim as soon as possible, if warranted by the circumstances. Gather as much information as possible about the individuals involved in the suspected abuse (e.g. names, ages, addresses). Elder abuse is a criminal offense and is both illegal and unacceptable, you should also seek the help of a qualified Maryland nursing home abuse lawyer or Virginia nursing home abuse lawyer with expertise this area.

Nursing Home Neglect

While Nursing Home Neglect, which is characterized by the failure of Nursing Home Staff to properly care for residents, may not seem as horrific as Nursing Home Abuse, it is more common, the effects can result in serious health issues, and in some cases it may lead to outright elder abuse. One of the most common causes of Nursing Home Neglect is the understaffing of nursing home facilities, leaving workers unable to properly care for all residents. Similarly, Nursing Homes may hire unqualified workers, or fail to train their employees, leading to instances of Elder Neglect. If a nursing home is putting profits ahead of the care of its residents, the result is almost always the neglect of elderly persons in desperate need of care.

Types of Nursing Home Neglect

The following is a list of examples of Nursing Home Neglect. The types of neglect that take place in Nursing Homes are far too numerous to list in their entirety. The most common types of Nursing Home Neglect are when the staff of the Nursing Home fails to:

Provide proper nutrition and hydration

Assist in personal hygiene when needed

Provide proper medication dosage

Take reasonable precautions to prevent falls

Answer call lights in a timely fashion

Turn residents in their beds (leading to bed sores)

Take residents to the toilet (leaving them in soiled garments or beds)

Take adequate precautions to prevent injury to the resident

Signs and Symptoms of Neglect

The following is a list of the common signs and symptoms of Nursing Home Neglect. It is by no means comprehensive.

Bed sores (decubitis ulcers)

Unsanitary environment (smell or urine or feces)

Dehydration

Malnurishment

Poor grooming and hygiene (unkempt appearance)

Untreated medical conditions

Frozen joints

Wandering (innattentive staff members fail to notice when a disoriented resident wanders away from the facility)

Errors in medication

Persisting infections

Recurring illnesses

Frequent falls

Specific complaints by residents going ignored

What to do if you Suspect Neglect

Victims of nursing home neglect may be embarrassed and reluctant to speak out because of threats or intimidation by staff members. Furthermore, they may be physically or mentally unable to complain about the neglect. If you suspect nursing home neglect, you should first get medical attention for the victim, if warranted by the cicumstances. Gather as much information as possible about the individuals involved in the suspected neglect (e.g. names, ages, addresses). You should also seek the help of a qualified Maryland nursing home neglect lawyer or Virginia nursing home neglect attorney with expertise this area.

We serve the following counties:
Virginia - Loudoun County, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Fauquier County, Fredericksburg County, Clark County and Warren County
Maryland - Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Harford County, Baltimore City, Prince George's County, Frederick County, and Montgomery County

Frequent Questions for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect:

• Are there standards that nursing homes have to follow?
• Frequently asked questions on Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect