While families always have the best of intention when making the decision to move a family member into a nursing home, unfortunately, there are still situations of nursing home abuse throughout the United States, including New Mexico. Families of loved ones who enter into nursing homes expect a reasonable standard of care.
While this is met more often than not, there still are many instances in New Mexico and throughout the United States of nursing home neglect and abuse, evident by a current battle in court.
Dozens of witnesses are lined up to prove that one of the state’s largest nursing home chains, Preferred Care, have understaffed their facilities leading to neglect and in some cases, death.
The instances occured at two centers in Santa Fe: Santa Fe Care Center and Casa Real Health Care. The case alleges that residents were not only improperly cared for, in one case, untreated bedsores leading to infection and unsuccessful subsequent surgeries, but also cited for improper billing.
If you believe that a family member or friend is not being taken care of properly, it is important to address the situation immediately to protect the well-being of your loved one as well as others at the facilities who may be affected. Protecting victims against nursing home neglect or abuse is only the first step however. You may also want to reach out to a law firm familiar with personal injury cases to see if the facility can also be held liable for injuries. Victims and family members of victims may be entitled to compensation.
Source: , “New Mexico moves ahead with case against nursing home chain,” By Associated Press, May 12, 2017