A recent report has revealed that many Tennessee nursing homes are repeat offenders of rampant neglect. This includes not reporting falls, injuries and overdosing patients. Many also discharge residents to a hotel without medications, money, food or a way to call family.
About Nursing Home Abuse
Placing an elderly loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility can be a heart-wrenching decision. Millions of families each year have to consider placing a parent or grandparent in a facility where their medical needs and day-to-day living needs can be met. We would like to think that the people with whom we entrust their care will provide the same standard of care we gave, but, sadly, that is often not the case. In fact, nursing home abuse and neglect are becoming an epidemic in the United States, and what is taking place in these homes is despicable.
Frequently Cited Tennessee Nursing Homes
The Senate Special Committee on Aging released a report on the nation’s underperforming nursing homes. Tennessee had some of the worst cases of neglect. The state even labeled many facilities as having a “substandard quality of care.” In one case, a nurse gave a diabetic resident 100 units of insulin instead of four. Her neglect put the resident into a coma. The same nursing home was in trouble for multiple incidents of rough handling. Nursing assistants slapped and kicked the elderly. Also, there wasn’t any isolation of patients with bacterial urinary tract infections. Therefore, it caused an untreated outbreak.
Another nursing home didn’t report when a resident slid out of bed while having her sheets changed. The woman was screaming in pain over her swollen, bruised knees. However, no one reported it. The nursing staff just called her a complainer. When they finally took her to the hospital, X-rays showed fractures in both knees. The facility had seven residents with multiple falls. After each one, staff never reported the injuries.
High Medication Error Rates
Many Tennessee nursing homes had a medication error rate of 65%. This included not testing for blood glucose levels, failing to give insulin, not giving cardiac and blood pressure medications and antidepressants. The federal threshold for medication errors in nursing homes is 5%. It wasn’t just bad dosing, it was also not rinsing syringes or glucometers. This put diabetic residents in immediate jeopardy.
Plus, the filth left inside these facilities was disgusting. Dried and rotten food was everywhere along with dirty towels and washcloths. The lack of hygiene of the residents not only caused significant weight loss but also infections and bedsores.
Get Legal Help
If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, do not accept denials. Instead, contact a knowledgeable lawyer experienced with representing victims. We have been assisting the injured for 20 years. We help clients from all over the country. Our consultations are completely free. Call today.