In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 1.3 million nursing home residents. Elderly residents of nursing homes are overall frailer, and therefore can easily suffer breaks or fractures of their bones when they suffer a fall. However, the entire purpose of a family placing their elderly loved one in a nursing home is to ensure that they receive the proper attention and supervision that they need in order to prevent these types of falls from occurring in the first place.
Any evidence of a fall in a nursing home could be the result of nursing home abuse or neglect, and the nursing home should conduct an investigation into the incident to determine whether or not the nursing home caused the injuries of the elderly resident due to their own neglect or actual abuse. If you believe that the bone fracture or bone break suffered by your elderly loved one in a nursing home was due to either abuse or neglect, learn how a Newark bone fractures and breaks lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help. Call (800) 201-3999 today and we can assist your elderly loved one in receiving justice.
Connection Between Bone Breaks and Fractures and Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse
Accidents happen, but when they happen in a nursing home with an elderly resident, serious or fatal consequences can be the ultimate result. Every nursing home should have a plan and protocol in place in order to make certain that their frail and vulnerable residents receive constant supervision and attention. They should be preventing any falls in the first place that would lead to bone fractures or bone breaks.
Unfortunately, elder neglect or abuse can ultimately result in falls which then result in bone fractures or breaks. Some indications that nursing home neglect or abuse possibly caused the bone fractures and breaks in the elderly include:
- Failing to lift an elderly person from their bed, chair, or wheelchair properly
- Failing to assist a resident to the bathroom, another area of the nursing home, or any other location
- Failing to properly ensure that the wheelchair remains in a locked position
- Failing to clear paths or walkways of debris or hazards within the nursing home facility or within the resident’s personal living quarters
- Failing to provide mobility aids that remain necessary for a resident to safely move around their personal area or the facility as a whole, including handrails, stools, etc.
- Failing to provide proper shoes or footwear to residents
- Failing to keep a careful watch on any resident that takes medication that will make them drowsy or dizzy
- Failing to keep a careful watch on any resident that suffers from neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
- Failing to monitor all residents to ensure that they receive assistance when needed
Without proper attention and supervision, many elderly residents remain neglected and attempt to perform activities or get to places they should not without assistance. In cases of nursing home abuse, the nursing home staff may feel frustrated or upset with the non-compliance of certain residents and directly cause them to fall or suffer a bone fracture or bone break.
If you have any reason to suspect that your elderly loved one suffered a bone fracture or break in a nursing home as a result of nursing home neglect or abuse, you may have the right to receive compensation. Learn how a Newark bone fractures and breaks lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you understand your legal rights and help you with your legal options to receive justice for your elderly loved one.
Complications Resulting from Bone Fractures and Breaks
Elderly residents of nursing homes that suffer bone fractures or bone breaks have an increased propensity to develop even more serious medical complications. Because elderly residents in nursing homes are frail and often have immune systems that remain weak due to their age or medical condition, those residents that have bone fractures or breaks do not have the resiliency of younger adults.
As a result, seniors who suffer from bone fractures or breaks may develop additional physical or psychological challenges. Some of the types of complications that may occur following a bone fracture or break in an elderly person could include circumstances such as:
- Due to a lack of mobility resulting from bone fractures or breaks, an elderly resident may ultimately develop bedsores which can turn septic
- Psychological distress or mental anguish resulting from the elder abuse or neglect that caused the event resulting in a bone fracture or break
- Depression or other mental health conditions as a result of loss of mobility or developed from a fear of falling again
- Weight loss resulting from either malnutrition or dehydration as an elderly resident refuses to eat or drink properly due to depression or anxiety following a fall resulting in a bone fracture or break
- An overall weakened immune system from failure to walk or move often resulting from the bone fracture or break
For a free legal consultation with a Newark Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer serving Newark, call (800) 794-0444
Reduced Quality of Life
Bone fractures and breaks heal relatively quickly in healthy, young adults. When older residents of nursing homes suffer a bone fracture or break, they often develop a reduced quality of life overall. In cases of nursing home abuse or neglect, the elderly resident may suffer continued fear or anxiety resulting in a reduced quality of life as well.
Many residents that have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may not remember the abuse, neglect, or even the circumstances that caused the bone fracture or break, causing them additional stress, anxiety, or psychological challenges. These resulting physical and psychological conditions also need treatment in order to increase the overall health and quality of life of a resident suffering from a bone break or fracture.
Newark Newark Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
A Newark Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer Can Help Your Elderly Loved One
If your loved one in a nursing home suffered a bone break or fractures, it may be the result of either elder abuse or neglect. Learn how a Newark bone fractures and breaks lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 201-3999 can assist your elderly loved one regarding the compensation they deserve and help them understand their legal rights.
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