Nursing Home Injuries

As our population grows older and medical care improves, so too does the population of our nursing homes. Currently, more than 16,000 nursing homes house nearly 1.5 million residents in the US.

According to the CDC’s 2004 Nursing Home Survey, during a 90 day period nationwide, 8% of nursing home residents were taken to the emergency room. That is more than 120,000 emergency room visits in 90 days.

The CDC further states that approximately 40% of these visits were preventable. Some, for conditions that should be treated at the nursing home, such as urinary tract infections, however the majority were for issues that should have been avoided altogether, such as pneumonia or falls.

Bed sores, more accurately known as pressure ulcers, were found to be suffered by more than 1 in 10 residents. According to practice guidelines, more serious bed sores (stage 2 or higher) are supposed to receive special care by trained professionals or staff. However, the CDC found that the vast majority, some 65% of serious bed sores patients, did not receive clinically indicated wound treatment.

Unfortunately, on occasion, the nursing homes fail to abide by state regulations and act unreasonable in the care of their residents. If you believe a loved one may have been a victim of nursing home negligence, we welcome your inquiry to our Personal Injury Department.