How Does Nursing Home Negligence Lead to Abuse and Neglect?
| September 17th, 2018
The owners and administrators of nursing homes in California and throughout the country have a big responsibility. They’re in charge of making sure millions of residents get the medical care and day-to-day living assistance they need around the clock. Nursing homes are big business, and it can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for residents to live in them. The profits that nursing home owners and administrators make off of residents and their families isn’t always enough, however. To maximize profits, some nursing homes take the following shortcuts:- Negligent hiring practices—People who work with residents who are elderly and suffering from serious illnesses should be thoroughly vetted and have spotless backgrounds. But some nursing homes hire people with records of criminal activities, violence, theft, and more in an effort to save time and money. Those hiring practices put residents at risk.
- Understaffing—There should be plenty of staff members available to handle all manner of needs and requests from residents at nursing homes. However, payroll costs can be significant to nursing home owners and administrators, and that can lead to some intentional understaffing, making it more difficult for residents to get the attention they need.
- Inadequate training—Caring for nursing home residents requires patience and plenty of hands-on training. But training programs can be expensive. Some nursing homes have little to no formal training for employees, which means residents’ well-being and lives may be in the hands of unqualified staff members.
