Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys deal with all sorts of nursing home abuse in Oklahoma. Many families undertake extraordinary efforts to care for elderly loved ones, but sometimes we cant do it alone. From illnesses that involve total 
incapacity of the body to those that involve the mind it’s difficult to cope. Hence, in these times we turn to nursing homes and assisted living centers for help. Sometimes what we hope to get from nursing homes though falls far short of our expectations. While nursing homes can provide round the clock care 24/7, the prospect of entrusting an aging loved one to the care of a skilled nursing facility can be a worrisome experience. Unfortunately, abuse and neglect of nursing home residents that causes severe injury and even wrongful death occurs far too often.
Help With Catastrophic Injuries and Wrongful Death:
The Tulsa nursing home negligence attorneys at Midtown Tulsa Personal Injury Law Office understand that seniors can be more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse because of age-related limitations in cognitive and communicative abilities. Therefore, neglect and abuse of nursing home residents manifests in a wide range of injuries. These include but are not limited to the following:
- Broken hips that can permanently impair mobility
- Bed sores (pressure sores) that can result into life-threatening infections
- Head injuries that cause damage to the brain
- Internal organ failure
- Fractures and broken bones that take long periods to heal
- Gangrene or Sepsis
Signs of Elder Abuse or Neglect in a Tulsa Nursing Home:
Advanced age can mean that nursing home residents face a more substantial risk of death when infections or bed sores are not treated or that residents recover more slowly from broken bones. This also makes it important for families to pay special attention to potential signs of nursing home abuse or neglect like:
- Unusual bruising
- Changes in mood
- Depression
- Sudden unexplained weight loss
- Soiled clothing
- Lack of hygiene (smell of urine or feces)
- Broken bones/fractures
- Untreated sores or wounds
- Abrasions or lacerations
- Burns
- Listlessness or withdrawal
Although these signs do not always indicate abuse or neglect, loved ones should inquire further when observing these types of indicators.
Prevalence of Mistreatment of Tulsa Nursing Home Residents:
The notion of exploiting and mistreating those who are most vulnerable can be so upsetting that people assume such incidents are extremely rare. Our experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse attorneys have provided disturbing facts from two studies reported by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) that reveal a much more ominous reality:
- A study involving 2,000 nursing home residents found that 44 percent suffered abuse, and 95 percent suffered neglect or witnessed neglect of another resident.
- The U.S. General Accountability Office found that seventy percent of state surveys of nursing home problems miss at least one nursing home deficiency.
These two studies are taken together suggest that nursing home residents are frequently mistreated and that further state watchdog agencies can be woefully ineffective in detecting and remedying mistreatment of residents.
Types of Abuse and Neglect in Oklahoma Nursing Homes:
Negligent and abusive conduct toward elderly residents in long-term care facilities moreover can be perpetrated by other residents, staff, medical providers and others. As a result, nursing home abuse or neglect can take many forms that include:
- Failure to provide adequate nutrition or hydration
- Denial of opportunities for proper hygiene
- Lack of implementation of plans for prevention of wandering, falls and movement
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse
- Financial exploitation
- Mental abuse
- Isolation of residents
- Inappropriate use of chemical or physical restraints
- Medical malpractice
- Ignoring bed sores, illness or infections
Contact Our Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys For a Free Consultation:
In conclusion, if you suspect that your loved one is being abused, neglected or exploited in an Oklahoma nursing home, our Tulsa nursing home negligence attorneys can explain your legal rights, options and remedies. Furthermore, we are firmly committed to holding nursing homes accountable for the harm they cause to residents. If you would like a free consultation with a Tulsa nursing home negligence lawyers from Mid Town Personal Injury Law Office at 918-379-4096 or fill out this form.
