Introduction
Ignoring residents is a common form of neglect in most nursing homes. Although it is not violent, nursing home neglect is commonly regarded as abuse. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, a federal statute that addresses patient rights and nursing facility reforms, defines nursing home neglect as abuse. Neglect can occur in many ways, including when a nurse is absent when necessary and when a patient’s basic needs, such as clothes or food, are not clean. Neglect is becoming an epidemic as an aging population moves into care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. More than sixty percent of the elderly outside nursing homes and 24.3% in nursing homes experience at least one case of neglect or physical abuse (Nursing home abuse statistics, n.d). Research findings in the nursing field show an increasing neglect rate due to various reasons, such as insufficient staffing and poor training. When employees are overworked or under stress, their ability to provide patients with the individualized care they require may suffer, leading to poor-quality delivery. Nursing home neglect has been prevalent throughout the years and has increased since I have been in the nursing field.
Nursing Homes Neglect
Neglecting residents in nursing homes is a type of abuse that has increased over the years. Nursing home neglect occurs when patients do not receive the necessary care, which can harm their physical and mental well-being (“Nursing home neglect and abuse,” 2018). As a result, all of one’s basic needs, such as nutrition, housing, clothing, cleanliness, and medical attention, must be met. When patients lack these needs, their mental and emotional well-being may suffer, leading to devastating consequences, including physical and emotional agony (“Nursing home neglect,” 2018). Patients who receive subpar care are more likely to experience complications and poor outcomes than those who do not. One possible explanation is that they lack the cognitive abilities to articulate and defend those demands and interests. Therefore, nurses are responsible for ensuring they offer the best possible high-quality care. Besides taking care of their patients, nurses can advocate for the rights of their patients, such as advising the leadership to add more staff when the need arises.
The best nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide their patients with exceptional care. They meet all of their resident’s needs, including opportunities for meaningful relationships, regular exercise, nutritious meals, and downtime. On the other hand, some nursing homes do not provide adequate care and force their residents to live in unhealthy conditions such as high temperatures, filth, and an abundance of viruses. Such lack of dedication by professionals demonstrates the highest levels of neglect, which should not be tolerated in any healthcare institution.
Residents will receive better care if their concerns are acknowledged and addressed. Any interruption or factor affecting nurses’ performance, therefore, impacts the quality of care and patient concerns are unmet (“Nursing homes neglect on the rise,” 2019). For example, nursing home workers are often perceived as too slow to respond to patients’ needs. This can manifest in various ways, such as staff taking too long to respond to call buttons and leaving patients waiting in uncomfortable positions such as beds and wheelchairs for extended periods. The absence of a nurse may result in the poor mental health of the patient, especially in cases when the patient needs the most attention. The hospital dining hall is frequently the only place patients left alone can spend time between meals. This environment is filled with people who can call for help if the patient needs immediate attention. Additionally, interactions are possible in the dining hall, where the patient can meet and converse with other patients.
Neglected nursing home patients frequently suffer serious injuries or even death. For example, due to this neglect, a 74-year-old resident of a nursing facility in Oxnard, California, died (“Nursing home neglect,” 2018). The family claimed that the nursing home failed to provide adequate care, such as adequate nutrition, moving the patient frequently enough to prevent bed sores, and keeping the patient clean. The family seems to have noticed the neglect initially but kept quiet, which led to the death of their loved one. The case shows that if a family member is worried about moving into a nursing home, they must understand they are not alone and that they have support. Some homes may take advantage of their vulnerable residents by providing insufficient services. Nursing home patients and families have the right to complain about the facility (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). This way, they can protect their patients from the severe consequences of neglect in nursing homes. Overall, nursing home neglect, which occurs when residents do not receive the care they require from personnel, is another common way the elderly are abused.
Causes of Nursing Neglect
Many nursing home residents are neglected because insufficient staff members care for them. When abuse occurs in nursing homes, it is usually the fault of managers and owners who prioritize profits over the interests of residents (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). Instead of reinvesting profits in the nursing home’s infrastructure, residents, and staff, the owners may keep them for themselves. On the other hand, employees may try to justify their poor performance by claiming they were sleepy, unprepared, or did not care. Either way, families who suspect their loved one is being abused in a nursing home must carefully consider their options and act quickly (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). Being aware of the signs of possible abuse in nursing homes is one way to protect the elderly and loved ones in nursing homes.
Inadequate resources, such as personnel, training, and background checks, are widely blamed for nursing home abuse and neglect. A lack of personnel reduces the quality of care provided to most patients (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). When there are not enough of them to go around, overworked employees are less efficient and more likely to make mistakes. Nursing home residents are at risk if nursing homes do not conduct thorough background checks on all new employees (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). Failure to conduct extensive background checks presents the elderly and the sick to unprofessional nurses who do not understand their responsibilities. Finally, if new employees in a nursing home are not properly trained, they may neglect their duties (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). The abuse was reported, but it was recently discovered that nursing home staff in Wisconsin lacked professional training. Overall, there is enough evidence that would prove that the common causes of nursing home neglect relate to the many ways caregivers do not provide proper care.
Types of Neglect
Neglect manifests in various ways in nursing homes and leads to negative consequences. Physical neglect, neglect of social and emotional needs, and disregard for basic needs are all common forms of neglect in nursing homes (“Nursing home neglect,” n.d). Medical neglect occurs when a nursing home employee fails to provide necessary care to a resident. The lawyers for a 72-year-old woman who claims she was abused and developed bedsores in a nursing home say their client never sought medical attention at a hospital during her stay. This case shows that the nursing home failed to provide adequate medical care and services to its residents. Restricting meaningful social interaction between nurses and patients increases the chances of not meeting nursing home patients’ social and emotional needs. Participating in group activities can help seniors improve their mood and cognitive function. Locking or isolating a nursing home resident is therefore considered abusive and neglectful treatment. Overall, several pieces of evidence suggest that nursing home staff may be complicit in neglect in more than one way.
Conclusion
Consistent reports of elder neglect in nursing homes have been found to harm the lives of those who live there. More severe nursing home neglect cases have resulted in catastrophic injuries or even death. Nursing home neglect can occur from caregivers not providing quality care to patients, and this neglect is also considered abuse. Neglecting the needs of those living in nursing homes can have serious psychological and physiological consequences. Neglect mostly occurs because of understaffing in nursing homes, leading to burnout and poor quality of health delivered. Individuals receiving nursing home care are vulnerable to the impacts of any form of neglect. In nursing homes, common abuse causes include insufficient staffing levels, training for new caregivers, and insufficient applicant screening. Neglect in a nursing home can have a wide range of negative consequences.
References
Nursing home neglect. (n.d). Nursing Home Abuse Justice.
Nursing homes neglect is on the rise. (2019). Krause and Kinsman Law Firm.
Nursing home abuse statistics. (n.d). Nursing Home Abuse Justice.
Nursing home neglect. (2018). Standards of Care.
Nursing home neglect and abuse. (2019). Ferrara Law Firm.