When a loved one is living in a nursing home, we expect them to receive the care and attention we cannot provide ourselves. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Residents in some Atlanta nursing home facilities experience neglect or abuse, due in part to failed supervision.
When facilities do not provide adequate supervision, their failure can have a tremendous impact on a resident’s health and safety, for which individuals or organizations can be accountable.
Patient supervision
Patients in a long-term care facility often have memory problems, mobility limitations and severe health conditions. As such, they can require considerable supervision to ensure they are safe.
Facilities should be able to provide sufficient staffing to tend to patients. They should have restricted access and security measures in place. Someone should be checking on them regularly, and medical care should be provided immediately as necessary.
Unfortunately, too many facilities provide substandard care in this respect. According to statistics, roughly 85 percent of nursing homes have a record of at least one allegation related to neglect or abuse.
Patients in these facilities can be at an increased risk of:
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- Wandering or getting lost
- Falling
- Getting into a fight
- Suffering from bedsores
- Assault
- Theft
- Infections
These events can result in painful injuries, emotional distress and death.
Caretaker supervision
Not only must patients have supervision in this setting, but workers who interact with them must be adequately supervised, as well.
Employers should hire workers responsibly, which can mean doing thorough background checks. They should also hire enough capable people to meet the needs of their residents. Once people are hired, employers must oversee them and enforce performance and conduct standards.
When a facility does not manage workers properly, the residents can pay a terrible price. In some cases, they can experience damages resulting from:
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- Physical abuse by a caretaker
- Sexual assault by a caretaker
- Overmedication
- Medical negligence
- Neglect
With all this in mind, the supervision of patients and workers should be a top consideration when selecting a nursing home.
If you have concerns about a facility in this respect, you may want to find a different option. If a loved one has already suffered the consequences of failed supervision, there could be legal options available to hold negligent parties accountable.