Olive Branch, Mississippi, Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys

According to a news gathering organization known as ProPublica, Mississippi nursing homes, including those in Olive Branch, have some serious work to do to improve the care received by their patients. The organization says that of the 204 homes nursing homes in state that it collects data on, 48 facilities reported serious deficiencies in federal inspection reports.

This data means that Mississippi is 8th in the nation in terms of the number of serious deficiencies reported per nursing home facility. The average rate in the state is 0.84 incidents per facility. While that might not sound too bad, keep in mind that the best states, North Dakota, Delaware and Hawaii, each had less than 0.02 incidents per facility. Mississippi has a long way to go before our seniors can rest easy knowing that they are in equally as good hands.

Elderly people are among the most vulnerable groups in society and thus make easy targets for those looking to harm others. Though not all seniors are in such fragile condition, the fact is that many suffer from health problems, are physically weak, can become easily confused and often are very lonely. Those seniors without close family members or at least without family members nearby, are at even greater risk of suffering abuse as no one is around to observe and report the common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Concerned family members in Olive Branch can watch for certain signs that might indicate trouble in a nursing home. When the first indications reveal themselves, it’s critical to take action and report your concerns to the proper state officials. Waiting even one day is too long if your loved one is in harm’s way.

Nursing home abuse occurs when caregivers actively harm their patients and injuries result from the mistreatment. If you notice that a loved one has any of the following signs, it means that abuse may be taking place. These include: broken bones, open wounds, hair loss, bruising, bleeding, withdrawn behavior, depression and nervousness around some staff members.

Neglect, another problem seen in some nursing facilities, happens when caregivers fail to provide needed care to patients. This can mean things like not changing bed linens, not taking residents to the bathroom or failing to provide food and water. Some common signs of nursing neglect include: bedsores, weight loss, dehydration, over-medication, personal hygiene issues and depression.

Olive Branch nursing home residents should expect top quality care in their golden years. Residents in Mississippi have a right to privacy, dignity and respect and those facilities that fail to live up to these obligations should be held accountable. If you suspect that a loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect in Olive Branch, contact one of our nursing home negligence attorneys immediately. The experienced attorneys at Stroud, Flechas & Dalton have handled complicated cases of abuse and neglect before and will show your loved one the respect they deserve while helping to get justice through financial compensation.