Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse
While it might seem unimaginable that anyone whose job is to care for vulnerable nursing home residents would knowingly harm them, the reality is that abuse and neglect are far too common in facilities like this. However, it is essential to understand that not everyone who hurts a nursing home resident does so intentionally, and the person most directly involved in causing a resident harm is not always the person who is primarily to blame for ensuing injuries.
Understanding common causes of nursing home abuse can be essential to effectively protect your family from this type of misconduct’s short-term and long-term effects. A nursing home abuse attorney could help take legal action against any source of harm.
Failure to Hire Enough Staff
One of the largest problems in the nursing home industry is a lack of qualified workers. The leading cause of this common issue is nursing homes failing to offer compensation rates and benefits packages that are likely to attract high-end talent, generally in a short-sighted attempt to save money at the expense of their residents.
Even the most dedicated and capable nursing home staff member cannot care for every resident in a facility by themself, and too few workers stretched across too many residents dramatically increases the risk of neglect and severe harm. Overworked employees are also more likely to suffer burnout and possibly take out their frustration and aggression on residents.
Negligent Hiring and Training Practices
Even if nursing homes hire enough workers to cover all their residents, they may still be increasing the risk of abuse and neglect if they do not hire the right people. Nursing home staff without appropriate knowledge, experience, and training in caring for vulnerable older adults are much more likely to inadvertently allow their residents to suffer harm. Likewise, failing to conduct thorough background checks and screenings during the hiring process commonly causes nursing homes to hire workers with criminal records and sometimes even records of elder abuse and neglect in the past.
Lack of Administrative Accountability
While individual staff members may be the ones most directly responsible for injuring nursing home residents through abuse or neglect, their employer may bear the majority of civil fault for the repercussions of their misconduct. Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, employers in Ohio can be held “vicariously liable” for harm caused by one of their employee’s negligence.
Alternatively, negligence by a nursing home administrator or owner can sometimes be the primary cause of neglect or abuse. A lack of accountability for mistakes and failures to follow safety rules among individual staff members is established from the top down. Fault for harm those indiscretions caused may lie with the management team that failed to address them appropriately.
An Attorney Can Further Explain Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse
No matter how nursing home abuse happens, it is not something that you should ever tolerate. If you have any reason to suspect abuse or neglect inside a facility, acting quickly and decisively could be vital to protecting your loved ones’ best interests.
A conversation with a legal professional about common causes of nursing home abuse could give you confidence about what to do to keep your family safe. Call today to discuss your legal options.
