When people think of abuse in a nursing home, they may think of actual violence perpetrated against a resident. However, abuse may also take the form of neglect, when a facility fails to provide a proper standard of care. Nursing home abuse and neglect happen all too often across the state of Georgia and victims needlessly suffer at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them at one of the most vulnerable points of their lives. A woman in another state recently died due to what her family says was severe abuse and neglect from her care facility, and her loved ones are demanding answers.
The woman’s family say that she lived at the nursing home for two years, requiring care for her dementia, but being otherwise healthy. The family claims that after not being able to visit the woman for a time, they noticed she had lost a significant amount of weight and had a severe bed sore on her posterior. They say they had her condition evaluated by a physician who instructed them to take her to an emergency room immediately. The family says the woman was severely dehydrated and that they found evidence she hadn’t been fed or given water on numerous occasions at the nursing home.
Doctors did not advise surgery for the woman’s condition, so her family said they were forced to provide their own hospice care. After being unconscious for over a week, the woman finally passed. Local law enforcement and the state department of public health say they are now investigating the matter. They say the same facility has had other citations and accusations of neglect and they hope to prevent any further incidents.
No matter the outcome of any criminal investigation, the family of the woman is likely entitled to file a wrongful death claim against the nursing home or any other entities deemed responsible for her death. Here in Georgia, nursing home abuse and neglect are serious matters that deserve scrutiny. A personal injury attorney may be able to secure a judgment for monetary damages for a bereaved family and help stop future incidents from happening to anyone else.