Ways nursing home negligence can result in a wrongful death

When a loved one reaches a point in their life when they can no longer be independent, and there is no provision for home care, then you may admit them to a nursing home. And when you take them to a nursing home, you expect the facility to provide the best possible care.

Unfortunately, caretakers at nursing homes sometimes fail to live up to their end of the bargain. As a result, your loved one might end up dying prematurely. Subject to the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s demise, you may need to file a wrongful death claim against the nursing home.

How wrongful death happens in nursing homes

Most wrongful death cases in nursing homes are caused by one thing: Negligence on the part of the nursing home attendants. Here is how negligence results in wrongful deaths in nursing homes:

Malnutrition

The effects of malnutrition on an elderly person can be quite severe. When an elderly person is malnourished, their immune system may weaken and make them susceptible to infections.

Malnutrition in a nursing home happens when the facility fails to provide the right food to the residents or if the caregivers fail to ensure the residents are eating their food as they ought to.

Elopement

Elopement happens when a resident, especially those with dementia or some form of a mental disorder, strays from the confines of the nursing home. It is important for the caregivers and the staff at the nursing home to know the whereabouts of the residents under their care at all times.

When a loved one strays out of the nursing home and the watchful eyes of their aides, they can end up injured or ill, and that can easily hasten their decline.

The death of a loved one is usually devastating. However, if that death is attributable to negligence on the part of the nursing home, or the caregivers, then you deserve to seek justice on behalf of your loved one.