Nursing Home Resident Found Dead But Staff Hadn’t Noticed

When our loved ones move into nursing homes or long term care facilities, it is because they need assistance living their lives. Therefore, families should be able to trust their loved ones will be checked on routinely. Unfortunately for many, not all care facilities are created equal and not all staff members do their jobs.

In February in Chicago, a 41-year old nursing home resident died. She was initially placed in the facility after suffering from a stroke the year prior. Despite slurred speech, the resident remained able to speak by phone with her son and other relatives. After multiple calls went unanswered, the resident’s aunt and son went to check on her, finding her dead in her bed and already cold to the touch.

The family had previously been forced to file complaints against the facility after finding their loved one left on the floor, despite the facility telling the patient’s family their staff was supposed to do checks every hour. Past inspections of the facility revealed certain requirements had not been met with regard to patient falls and safety.

Staffing Shortages Put Nursing Home Resident Health At Risk

In America, close to 1.4 million people are cared for in skilled nursing facilities; and, when these facilities are short-staffed, nurses and aides scramble to perform crucial tasks like delivering meals, helping bedbound residents use the bathroom, and answering calls for medication. Vital medical tasks can be overlooked when workers are overworked, sometimes even leading to avoidable injuries and hospitalizations. New federal data has revealed most nursing homes have fewer nurses and caretaking staff than they report to the government, reinforcing the long-held worry of many families that staffing levels were inadequate.

And apparently this is only going to get worse. Paul Osterman, author of Who Will Care for Us?: Long-Term Care and the Long-Term Workforce, predicts the number of adults 65 and older requiring long-term care “could rise by more than 70 percent over the next 25 years,” noting the supply of paid caregivers will fall far short of demand. He describes the situation as “an absolute train wreck waiting to happen.”

Philadelphia Nursing Home Injury Lawyers

If you or someone you know has been injured or killed due to nursing home negligence, it is important to find a skilled law firm with experience handling these cases. The law firm of Lopez McHugh has trial attorneys standing by to assist with nursing home resident claims. Contact us today for a free consultation.