Tampa Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys

What Can You Do About Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse in Tampa?

Other than filing a nursing home abuse or neglect lawsuit on behalf of your elderly loved one, you have the important task of keeping an eye out for the signs of abuse and neglect. Elders often cannot tell anyone about the abuse or neglect they have endured because they are afraid of the potential backlash, cannot communicate clearly due to a health complication, or cannot remember the details of the abuse due to memory issues. As a family member who visits or calls your elderly loved one in a nursing home often, you might be the first person who can spot the warning signs that something is wrong.

Warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect can include:

• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Fear of a specific person
• Unexplained financial losses
• Bruises, cuts, and bedsores
• Messy or unclean appearance
• Sudden weight loss
• Lethargy and signs of depression
• Overmedication

What Can You Sue a Nursing Home For in Tampa?

Nursing homes owe their residents a safe and attentive living space that cares for all their needs and health concerns. You can sue a nursing home for violating those rates in a way that could have been avoided and that resulted in your elderly loved one’s injury. When the harm is done unintentionally, it is caused by neglect. If it was intentionally inflected, then it is abuse.

Common forms of nursing home abuse and neglect include:

• Physical harm, such as attacks from staff members or other residents
• Sexual assaults that are often carried out against patients with dementia
• Emotional trauma caused by humiliation and belittling
• Social isolation caused by preventing the elder from spending time with other residents
• Financial theft that takes money from the elder’s bank accounts or pocketbook
• General neglect, like forgetting to give an elder their daily medication

What are the Three Most Common Complaints About Nursing Homes?

Three of the most common complaints about nursing homes in Florida that our nursing home abuse lawyers hear are:

• Insufficient staffing: When there are not enough staff members on the clock for the number of residents in the nursing home, all sorts of serious issues can follow. A nurse who genuinely wants to help every resident might be forced to spend as little as 10 minutes a day with them, which is not nearly enough in any situation. Staffing issues can also arise if the nursing home hires staff members who are not qualified for the job’s requirements.
• Delayed response to emergencies: Another common complaint from residents and their families about nursing homes is that it takes too long for staff members to respond to calls and crises. This issue often traces back to staffing issues, too. When a resident needs attention, they might have to wait hours if free staff members aren’t available.
• Substandard meal quality: Dehydration and malnutrition are serious issues in many nursing homes, which is why it is no surprise that poor nutrition quality is another top complaint among residents. Meals in many nursing homes are prepared offsite and microwaved before being served.

Contact Gunn Law Group at (813) 993-1448 for a consultation and take the first step towards justice.