Nursing Home Understaffing: A Leading Cause of Neglect and Abuse

medical malpractice

Due to the vulnerability of the elderly and infirm residents of most nursing homes and residential care facilities, it is imperative that these facilities are adequately staffed. Without enough caregivers and medical professionals on hand to properly watch over residents, the sad result can be instances of neglect, abuse, and even death. Nursing home understaffing means that there are not enough workers to watch over the elderly patients. Unfortunately, however, there are many nursing homes and care facilities today that are routinely understaffed, leaving their patients at risk. Because the cost of labor is high and many nursing homes are for-profit companies, staffing is one area where administrators may try to save money. They may do this by either underpaying their staff, leading to low morale and less-qualified staffers who must work longer hours for a livable

Because the cost of labor is high and many nursing homes are for-profit companies, staffing is one area where administrators may try to save money. They may do this by either underpaying their staff, leading to low morale and less-qualified staffers who must work longer hours for a livable wage or by hiring fewer caregivers and certified nurses on purpose. Laws about staffing are inconsistent from state to state and are often incomplete, so it is only recently as cases of neglect and abuse have been brought to trial that the scope of this problem has become apparent. The best remedy for this situation is most likely laws, at both the federal and state levels, regulating the nursing home and residential care facility industry more strictly. The laws could address things such as the required number of medical professionals on staff per number of residents and the number of hours of certified nursing coverage required at a facility.

If you are looking into a nursing home or care facility for yourself or a loved one, it is important to know that the most common result of nursing home understaffing is not direct abuse, but neglect. The consequences of neglect can be just as serious as those of abuse, though, because many residents have limited mobility and cannot properly care for themselves. They must await the assistance of a caregiver to clean and feed themselves and to stay physically and psychologically active. In the absence of proper attention, they can develop bedsores and other skin infections, become malnourished and depressed, and grow sicker due to improperly administered medication; and this is just a brief listing of the possible outcomes. Tragically, this neglect can turn into outright abuse as staff members grow more overwhelmed and overworked, and turn on the very people they are meant to help or miss the signs of resident-on-resident abuse.

Therefore, before choosing a home or facility, you should check public records for the facts on the particular places you’re considering, and also make sure that you know the signs of neglect so that you can watch over your loved one once he or she is a resident. Careful research and attention to detail will help keep your loved one deservedly safe and comfortable.

If you suspect nursing home abuse, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer who can investigate and file claims on your loved one’s behalf.

Author Profile

Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.


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