Nursing home negligence can happen in Massachusetts
With the advances in medical care over the past few decades, it appears that many Massachusetts residents are living longer lives. With this increase in the aging population comes the need to provide appropriate care for the elderly. While some families prefer to care for their loved ones at home, many others are not able to do so and must rely upon nursing homes to provide the necessary care. In entrusting their loved ones to the care of a nursing home, the family needs to have peace of mind in knowing that their loved will not suffer nursing home negligence.
Caring for elderly individuals can be a daunting task. Many times, they are unable to communicate their needs or unable to assist in taking care of their own needs. It is often up to the caregiver to monitor an individual patient and take the appropriate steps to care for him or her. This can involve feeding, bathing, dressing and even assisting in normal bathroom functions. It is also up to the caregiver to notice when something is not right; if the individual is not eating properly or not flushing his or her system of normal waste products, there could be a serious problem.
Recently, a suit was filed against a nursing home in another state, alleging nursing home negligence. Records indicate that a nursing home patient died as the result of not have proper bowel movements over a long time period. The family alleges that the nursing home should have been monitoring the situation and should have sought treatment for the patient prior to when it did.
When a Massachusetts family entrusts their loved one to a nursing home, they are doing so with the belief that their loved one will be well taken care of. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If the unthinkable happens, and a loved one suffers from nursing home negligence, the family will want to explore which legal options best fit their situation.
Source: chronline.com, “Malpractice Suit Against Centralia Nursing Home Prestige Set for November Trial“, Best, July 29, 2016
