Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm Houston, TX
There are hundreds of nursing home facilities located throughout Texas. The tragic truth is that many of these facilities fail to provide proper care for their elderly residents. In fact, according to national data, there are about two million seniors over the age of 65 who have suffered some type of mistreatment, injury, or exploitation by a caregiver. Much of this abuse and/or neglect occurs in nursing facilities.
If your loved one is in a nursing home, there are important signs you need to watch for that could indicate that they are a victim of nursing home abuse. It is critical for family members to know what those signs are and to also know what steps to take to protect their family members. Sometimes, loved ones are hesitant to approach a Houston, TX nursing home abuse law firm for help because they are unsure of whether their loved one is being mistreated. You don’t have to be certain to reach out to an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer Houston, TX residents trust for guidance. The experienced team at John K. Zaid & Associates offers confidential consultations that will allow you to ask questions and make an informed decision about your circumstances. You are under no obligation to take action simply because you’re seeking guidance from a Houston, TX nursing home abuse law firm. However, being proactive about seeking guidance could mean the difference between protecting your loved one and exposing them to additional risk for abuse. If you notice any of the following signs or something doesn’t feel “right,” please contact our nursing home abuse law firm Houston, TX residents rely on today with your concerns:
- Poor Personal Hygiene: The majority of elderly residents in nursing homes need some level of assistance from nursing home staff for help with their daily personal hygiene needs including brushing their teeth, showering, brushing their hair, and changing their clothes. When a facility is understaffed, or the staff is poorly trained, it is these types of needs that fail to get met. If you visit your loved one and their hair isn’t brushed, they are in unkempt clothes, and there is an overall disheveled appearance, this is a good indicator that your loved one is being neglected. Not only is this emotionally unhealthy for the resident, but poor hygiene can also cause infections and other health issues which can be dangerous for an elderly person who may already have a weakened immune system from other medical issues.
- Bad Odors: When there is a lack of personal hygiene, there is often an issue with body odors because of failure to bathe and increased incontinence. The odors can also be coming from the lack of washing clothing, bed linens, bed pans, and diapers. If the staff are not properly cleaning wounds, this too can cause bad odors. All of these issues can also lead to dangerous health issues for elderly residents.
- Dirty Living Conditions: If you notice the facility is not clean, such as dirty bathrooms, floors, and bed linens are torn or dirty, these are warnings that the staff is failing to not only keep the facilities clean, but likely failing to meet the requirements the state has for safety, cleanliness, and security.
- Vocal Residents: There are situations where a resident may be in pain and occasionally cry or moan, however, if you visit the facility and there are many incidents of residents crying out and screaming, this could indicate that residents’ needs are not being met by the staff. And speaking of staff, you should never hear a staff member yell or raise their voice, swear, or be disrespectful to a resident.
If you suspect abuse and need the help of a nursing home abuse law firm in Houston, TX – call us today.