A nursing home should be a safe and secure place for aging or ailing individuals to receive the care and support that they need to live. All across New Mexico thousands of people reside in care facilities and put their trust in the hands of administrators and care professionals to provide them with life-sustaining care. While many nursing homes are well-managed and adequately staffed, others lack basic safety mechanisms to provide their charges with sufficient care.
Nursing home neglect is a problem in many American facilities, and nursing home residents and their loved ones should be aware of what signs to look out for when they have concerns about possible instances of neglect or abuse. One red flag that may warn of neglect is evidence that residents are not having their basic needs met.
Individuals who rely on the care of others should have enough food, proper clothing for their environments and access to sanitary living conditions. They should be able to see doctors and medical providers when they are in need of such services, and they should receive supervision from individuals who are familiar with their needs and equipped to provide them with service.
When any or all of these basic needs are lacking, residents of nursing homes may experience life-threatening neglect. Understaffing, poor record-keeping and a slew of other administrative omissions may lead to cases of neglect in nursing homes, and when problems arise victims may need to consider legal options to protect their rights and potentially pursue compensation.