presented by: Gary Massey
Nursing home neglect is a regular concern, especially for families that want to ensure their loved ones are receiving the care they need to be as comfortable as possible in the last days of their lives. Palliative care, or medical care that makes patients comfortable as they struggle with terminal or incurable illnesses or injuries, is generally considered part of proper and ethical medical care and is often part of the care that nursing home residents should be receiving. Unfortunately, it is also one of the necessary medical treatments that falls by the wayside when a nursing home is understaffed or residents are being neglected.
In order to help patients, families, and caregivers understand the need for palliative care and the risks of nursing home abuse, the National Council on Elder Abuse (NCEA) provides resources that explain what palliative care is and analyze the problem of inadequate palliative care in nursing homes in Tennessee and other U.S. states. According to the NCEA, data collected on palliative care in U.S. nursing homes indicates that such care is often “grossly inadequate,” which means that many nursing home residents aren’t receiving the care they need to be comfortable while living with a chronic illness or a terminal condition such as cancer or heart disease.
A family member who complains of regular pain or discomfort, or a nursing staff that doesn’t seem to notice or care when residents complain of pain or discomfort, may be signs of nursing home neglect of palliative care needs. If you have a loved one who has suffered due to nursing home neglect, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Chattanooga nursing home abuse attorneys at Massey & Associates, P.C.. Our number is (423) 396-0720, and we encourage you to call us today for a free and confidential consultation.
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.
