As a Chicago nursing home lawyer, I’ve met with dozens of nursing home resident and their families across the state. There are many different reasons why people need to live in nursing homes or other skilled care facilities. Some are recovering from a surgical or other medical procedure. Many are suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases.
While there are many different reasons why people need to live in nursing homes, there is one factor that nearly always plays a factor when a nursing home resident is the victim of nursing home neglect: Nursing home falls.
Nursing home falls are devastating injuries, not only because of the damage that occurs as a result of the fall itself, but also because of the long term ramifications of that injury.
Nursing home falls often result in the loss of mobility. In a nursing home, where understaffing is nearly always a constant, that loss of mobility can have dire consequences. A resident can be forced to wait for long periods before staff have time to help them to the bathroom. That can lead to incontinence. Incontinence can lead to rashes. Rashes can lead to infections.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are ways that anyone can help to reduce the likelihood of a fall at home or in a nursing home.
Begin a regular exercise program. There are roughly 20 Silver Sneakers locations in the Chicago area where seniors can walk and exercise in a setting with their peers. Get regular health and vision exams, and make your home safer by removing throw rugs, adding grab bars and non-slip mats to showers and tubs, and consider night lights in dark hallways.
If you have a loved one who has been the victim of nursing home neglect or nursing home abuse in a Chicago nursing home, contact the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices, our Chicago nursing home lawyers have the experience and expertise to manage every aspect of your Chicago nursing home neglect lawsuit, and we would welcome the opportunity to speak to you.