Nursing home abuse answers
What is nursing home abuse or neglect?
Nursing home abuse involves intentional mistreatment, while neglect involves failing to provide the care, supervision, hygiene, nutrition, medication, fall prevention or medical attention a resident needs. Both can cause serious harm.
Quick answer
Phillips Froetschel helps families investigate Pittsburgh nursing home cases involving pressure ulcers, falls, dehydration, medication mistakes, infections, delayed treatment, poor supervision and signs of physical, emotional or financial abuse.
Records that may reveal neglect
Care plans, nursing notes, medication administration records, wound documentation, fall-risk assessments, incident reports, hospital records, staffing information and photos can help show whether a facility followed appropriate care practices.
Frequently asked questions about nursing home negligence
Are bedsores a sign of neglect?
They can be. Pressure ulcers may develop when a resident is not repositioned, monitored, cleaned or treated appropriately, especially if the resident has limited mobility.
What should families document?
Document photos, dates, staff names, changes in condition, hospital visits, unexplained injuries, conversations with the facility and any complaints made to administrators.
Can a nursing home case become a wrongful death claim?
Yes. If neglect or abuse contributes to a resident’s death, the family may need to evaluate a wrongful death or survival claim.
