People often have complaints about nursing homes. While there may be some truth to these complaints, it's important to remember that nursing homes are a vital part of the healthcare system. They provide care and support for millions of people every year, and they play an important role in the lives of their residents. Let's take a closer look at three of the most common nursing home complaints: slow response times, poor quality food, and social isolation.
Slow Response Times
One of the most common nursing home problems is that they have slow response times. This can be a major issue, especially if there is an emergency situation. Sometimes, it can take hours for a nurse or doctor to arrive on the scene. This can be very dangerous for the resident, and it can also lead to increased stress for the family members who are caring for them.
Slow response times also can lead to resident falls, as the resident may need something, no help comes, so they try to get up and do it themselves. The reason your loved one is in a nursing home is that they need assistance. If the nursing home isn't providing that, they have neglected their duty of care.
Nursing homes also have fall prevention plans in place, which include having staff check on residents regularly. Nursing home falls should not happen, yet they do and with alarming regularity. If your loved one was injured in a nursing home fall, the nursing home fall lawyers at Curan & Ahlers can help you recover compensation. Contact us today for a free case consultation.
Low Quality Food
Another common complaint about nursing homes is that the food is poor quality. In some cases, the food may be unhealthy or even dangerous. This can be a major problem, especially if the resident is not able to cook for themselves. In some cases, the resident may not even be able to eat the food that is served to them.
Residents should understand that facilities are often feeding dozens or hundreds of residents, so it's difficult to please everyone and the food quality may not be of the highest quality. However, the nursing home, at a minimum, does need to provide food that the resident can safely eat. A good nursing home will provide multiple options so residents can choose.
Social Isolation
Finally, one of the biggest problems in nursing homes is that residents often feel isolated and lonely. If the resident has few friends or family members who are able to visit them, this can make their lives very lonely and lead to depression. In some cases, residents may feel like they are stuck in a nursing home and that they have no control over their own life.
In New York, nursing home residents:
Facilities should allow residents to live with dignity in a comfortable living environment
Residents are to be allowed freedom from being restrained
Residents should have the ability to choose activities, schedules, and other preferences
Residents should be free to make independent decisions
Residents should be allowed to choose the day and time of their visitors, with some restrictions
If a nursing home is doing their best to meet each of those requirements, residents should have the chance to be social with others.
Contact the nursing home abuse lawyers at Curan & Ahlers
If you're loved one has suffered abuse at a New York nursing home, the nursing home abuse attorneys at Curan & Ahlers may be able to help you recover compensation. Contact us today for a free case consultation.