People need care when they get older, as they may not have the strength and health needed to live independently. However, their loved ones may not have the time, energy, or resources necessary to properly care for them at home. As a result, they get admitted into a nursing home to receive attention and medical care.
Nursing homes in Atlanta are often privately run, for-profit businesses that set their own policies and codes of conduct that are in line with government regulations. However, they are expected to offer their residents adequate care and treat them fairly according to the terms of agreement throughout their stay in the nursing home. Unfortunately, some nursing homes do not care for their residents properly, and this can expose them to lawsuits.
Common Unfair Treatments in Nursing Homes
People are often sensitive to the well-being of their loved ones in assisted living due to how vulnerable and defenseless they are. Fortunately, they can seek compensation if they are treated unfairly or abused while admitted. You can sue an Atlanta nursing home housing your loved one for damages over alleged abuse if you believe you have a valid case.
To understand the kind of compensation you and your loved one are due, you should speak to an experienced attorney. To get started, you can contact Holbert Law to request your free consultation today. The unfair treatment and abuse in question come in different forms, like the following:
- Emotional abuse: Nursing home residents live in relative isolation, as they are separated from their loved ones, so they need to be treated gingerly. However, some care workers may emotionally abuse them with verbal insults, intimidation, and embarrassment. This will dampen the victim’s mood and they have little control over the situation due to their physical state.
- Physical abuse: Some care workers may hit, push, or improperly restrain the nursing home residents in their care out of frustration or malice. These actions can cause injury or pain, which is valid grounds for the victim to seek compensation.
- Neglect: Assisted living facilities are expected to provide water, food, medical care, and resources to support good hygiene. Failure to provide these, especially if it is intentional, constitutes neglect. It reduces the resident’s quality of life, which defeats the purpose of admitting the patient into the nursing home to begin with.
- Poor medication: The elderly are often on daily medication to manage pain and other conditions they may be dealing with. Knowingly administering them the wrong doses of their medicine or withholding said medicine from them is harmful and abusive.
Endnote
It is wrong for nursing homes to admit residents, receive payment for their care services, and abuse them. Residents who fall victim to such abuse or unfair treatment can seek relief in court. Their loved ones can sue the nursing home on their behalf and demand compensation. This also applies if the resident dies wrongfully in their care. To understand the legal options available for redress, residents or their loved ones should consult an attorney who can assess their situation and give them proper counsel.