With the baby boomer generation aging, there are more people living in nursing homes then ever before. They are currently 36 million people in the United States over the age of 65. This number is expecting to reach over 80 million by the year 2050. At some point, a large majority of these adults will need assisted living or need to go into a nursing home.

The majority of most nursing homes provide a safe and friendly environment for senior citizens. However, some elderly people will find themselves vulnerable to neglect due to a facility over capacity or under-trained staff providing care. These problems can often be made worse because an elderly person cannot communicate their needs to their family and friends. Some experts estimate that about one million elderly Americans are neglected in some manner each year.

The most common form of abuse is general neglect. However, there are numerous documented cases of mismanaged health care along with physical, mental, and emotional abuse. All of these forms of neglect can cause serious injuries among elderly people including malnutrition, broken bones, dehydration, and sadly even death.

There are a variety of things that need to be done to prevent elderly abuse. Before choosing a nursing home or assisted living facility, do your research. Make sure the facility provides adequate care and that the staff is properly trained. You also can prevent elderly abuse by visiting your friend or relative as often as possible. If you are there more often, they have more opportunities to communicate that they are being abused.

If you suspect abuse, contact the staff supervisor immediately. If your friend or relative blatantly tells you they have been abused, contact the police immediately. Elderly abuse can become both a criminal and civil case. Do not wait around and let the abuse continue. The faster you identify the abuse, the less likely serious injuries are likely to occur.

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Georgia Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence Legal Help

Families concerned about a loved one that has acquired a bed sore in a nursing home or hospital are quickly faced with difficult questions.  When dealing with bed sore issues, families may be faced with making difficult decisions from both a medical and legal standpoint.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of bed sores (also referred to as pressure sores, pressure ulcers, and decubitus ulcers) are the result of nursing home neglect and improper care.  It is for this reason that medical facilities are often hesitant to supply answers to questions regarding bed sores.

Physically Challenged Patients-Bed sores are common problems facing physically challenged patients in Georgia nursing homes.  The primary reason physically disabled patients are at risk for developing bed sores is because they are reliant upon caretakers to move them regularly to prevent bed sores.

In particular, physically disabled patients must be turned every couple hours to avoid unrelieved pressure from developing.

In patients who are paralyzed, nursing home staff need to regularly check the patient’s entire body for the early signs of bed sores like discoloration of the skin.

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, when bed sores advance and the person develops sepsis, there is a 50% mortality rate.  Also, more than one third of people living with spinal cord injuries living in the US are battling a bed sore of some type.

Nursing home workers caring for disabled patients should be aware that the patients they are caring for are at heightened risk for developing bed sores.  Accordingly, caregivers should consider using some of the following preventative measures:

• Use specialized beds and other medical equipment to minimize the direct pressure on susceptible areas of the body such as the heels, back, buttocks, and head.
• Ensure that proper nutrition and supplements are given.
• Get the patient out of bed as often as feasible and turn on a regular schedule.
• Keep a chart or log to help track different rotation positions and frequency of movement.
• Notify doctors immediately if the patient’s condition indicates bed sores are developing.

The Angell Law Firm works with families who have been injured at assisted living and nursing home facilities. We pursue claims for injury or death as the result of negligent or improper care. Our firm handles claims involving nursing home staff negligence as well as nursing home abuse and neglect claims involving:

• Malnutrition and starvation
• Dehydration
• Infections
• Pressure sores, including bed sores
• Broken bones and fractures
• Assaults and physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Falls due to inadequate assistance or dangerous conditions
• Rapid decline
• Wrongful death

From our Buckhead office in Atlanta, the nursing home abuse attorneys at the Angell Law Firm is prepared to handle your nursing home case and we are dedicated to representing injured clients throughout the metro Atlanta area, including Athens, Marietta, Roswell, Decatur, College Park, Alpharetta, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Chamblee, and Sandy Springs, Macon, and Buckhead, as well as throughout Georgia in Fulton County, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Clayton County and Rockdale County. Please call us for a free consultation to find out if you have a case at (770) 217-4954.

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