Nursing homes are supposed to care for residents, not abuse or neglect them. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Incidences of nursing home abuse and neglect are far too common across the country. One of the most obvious indicators of abuse and neglect in a nursing home is poor hygiene. Signs that your loved one’s hygiene is not up to standard may include soiled clothes, unpleasant odor, and an unclean appearance.
Along with blatant disregard for a resident’s needs for good personal hygiene, nursing home staff may also fail to clean and sanitize toilets, showers, floors, and common areas, creating a favorable ground for germs to breed and spread. When nursing homes fail to observe proper hygiene and sanitation, the residents, some of whom have weakened immune systems, may develop serious health complications.
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we advocate for the rights of nursing home residents, and we will fight hard to seek justice for the neglected residents. Call us at (800) 842-6336 to discuss your loved one’s situation with a Nashville soiled clothes or other signs of poor hygiene lawyer.
What to Expect from a Nursing Home Staff
There is no way to understate the responsibility that a nursing home assumes when they accept to care for your loved one. When you entrust your loved one to a nursing home, it is reasonable to expect that the facility will assist your loved one with activities of daily living as well as monitor them throughout the day. Some of the basic hygiene services that you may expect from nursing homes may include:
- Brushing teeth and cleaning dentures
- Showering and bathing
- Washing hands
- Cleaning up after visiting the bathroom
- Dressing and grooming
- Changing wound dressings and bandages
Signs of Poor Hygiene and Care in Nursing Homes
When you visit your loved one, it is important to observe and identify any signs that could indicate that the facility is not providing proper hygiene for the residents. Some of the indicators of poor hygiene may include:
- Dirty hair
- Soiled clothes
- Dirty or unchanged linens
- Putrid smells
- Dirty and unkempt staff members
- Residents with inexplicable physical and emotional problems
- Residents with dirty and unchanged dressings and bandages
- Debris and other dangerous obstacles in walkways and common areas
- Pests problems
For a free legal consultation with a Nashville Soiled Clothes or Other Signs of Poor Hygiene Lawyer serving Nashville, call (800) 842-6336
Why Nursing Homes Neglect Proper Hygiene
There are various reasons why nursing home residents suffer from poor hygiene. In most cases, greed for profit at the expense of quality care of residents is the overarching reason why nursing homes are unsanitary. The problem can be attributed to:
Untrained Employees
Nursing home staff must be properly trained on how to clean the facility, prepare and handle food, and attend to the basic needs of the residents. But more often than not, nursing homes may hire unqualified staff, putting the residents at risk of suffering from poor hygiene problems.
Understaffing
This is a common problem in nursing homes that results in staff not having enough time to care for the residents and keep the facility clean. Having less staff to resident ratio may overwhelm the staff, making it easy for them to forget basic procedures like washing their hands as they attend from one resident to another.
High Turnover
The turnover of employees is usually high in nursing home facilities. This happens when a facility is understaffed, and employees may be forced to work harder than normal while being paid the usual low wages.
Inadequate Policies
A nursing home that fails to have policies and standards for proper hygiene is likely to cause poor hygiene in the facility.
Nashville Nashville Soiled Clothes or Other Signs of Poor Hygiene Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Effects of Poor Hygiene on Residents
Many nursing home residents often have suppressed immune systems or may be suffering from medical conditions that make them susceptible to infections. According to the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, poor hygiene may wreak havoc on the residents’ immune system, exacerbating their likelihood of developing infections or other life-threatening medical complications.
Common problems that residents may suffer as a result of poor hygiene may include:
- Infections such as urinary tract infections, influenza, and bacterial pneumonia
- Bedsores
- Diarrhea, which may develop into a chronic problem
- Ringworms
- Scabies
- Athlete’s foot
- Lice
- Dental cavities and other dental problems
- Psychological damage such as depression
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Duty and Liability of the Nursing Home
A nursing home owes a duty to its resident to:
- Use reasonable care to ensure that the facilities are clean and safe for its residents
- Select and retain competent and adequate staff
- Oversee the care the employees give to the residents
- Set up and enforce policies and rules to ensure proper hygiene and adequate care
In other words, the facility has a duty and responsibility to protect residents against unreasonable risk of harm. Poor hygiene and sanitation in a nursing home indicate that the facility breached its duty of care owed to your loved one.
If your loved one suffered injuries as a result of poor hygiene, the nursing home might be found liable for the injuries and losses. A Nashville soiled clothes or other signs of poor hygiene lawyer can help your family hold them accountable for their negligence. Under a neglect lawsuit, your loved one could receive compensation for:
- Current and future medical costs for treatment and rehabilitation
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Mental distress
If your loved one has suffered death as a result of improper hygiene in a nursing home, you may file a wrongful death claim against the facility and any other responsible parties.
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Reach Out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for Help Today
If you suspect that your loved one suffered injuries due to poor hygiene conditions in a nursing facility, a Nashville soiled clothes or other signs of poor hygiene lawyer can help you obtain the compensation that you and your loved one deserve. For a free consultation, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336. We work on a contingency-fee-basis, meaning that you don’t get to pay us anything unless we recover your loved one’s compensation.
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