Don’t let Your Vulnerable Family Suffer From Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes.
Our experienced bed sore injury attorneys at The Higgins Firm are always ready to protect the rights and interests of fragile residents who have been subject to inexcusable and pathetic conditions, mainly due to the neglect and inability of nursing facilities to provide them with the quality care they advertise. Due to this neglect and ill practice, many dependent people develop bed sores, which can evolve into something more severe and cause serious complications for them, such as pressure ulcers, sepsis, bone and joint infections, cellulitis, and even cancer.
If you are noticing that your elders aren’t being taken care of and may have developed bed sores due to the neglect of their caregivers, you can get in touch with the seasoned lawyers at The Higgins Firm, who can help you get justice.
Knoxville Elder Demographics
Knoxville is one of the largest cities in the State of Tennessee and has a population of approximately 185,000. Roughly 12.6% of the Knox County population consists of seniors, and there are six senior centers run by the Knox County Senior Services Department, which facilitate those who are aged above 50. These centers are also responsible for providing access to basic facilities, including transportation, education, care, and much more.
Moreover, there are 26 nursing homes that cater to the needs of Knoxville’s seniors, and most of them are known to provide satisfactory care and quality services to the elders. However, not all of the nursing homes represent the needs of the elders that are entrusted to them.
Neglect and Abuse in Knox County Nursing Homes
According to several reports, the staff levels in most of the Knoxville nursing homes are quite low, which means that there aren’t enough people to attend to all of the patients and elderly whenever they need help. As a result, the patients’ issues aren’t being addressed, no matter how serious they may be. Moreover, it leads to poor hygiene and a lack of disease prevention, thus making seniors susceptible to several diseases.
Patients who live in understaffed nursing homes are also more likely to develop pressure ulcers because each attendant is burdened and unable to cater to each patient at the right time. Therefore, it is very important for you to choose a suitable nursing center that isn’t understaffed and provides quality care to its patients. Our Knoxville bed sore lawyers will be able to help you make the decision so that you can avoid subjecting your elders to subpar conditions and poor quality care.
Bed Sores in Elders Shouldn’t Go Unnoticed
It does not take an expert to know that patients who lie in the same position for extended periods of time are at a higher risk of developing bed sores and pressure ulcers. This also means that they are easy to prevent, especially if caregivers are more attentive towards patients and provide them with the basic care they require.
Bed sores are also categorized according to different stages. Stage 1 can be developed if the patient is left lying in the same position for a few hours. They can develop into Stage 2 if the patient isn’t moved for a day or two. However, bed sores can progress into more severe stages due to neglect on the part of caregivers.
Pressure ulcers, if left unattended, can also develop into open sores that are prone to infection. It progresses into tissue death, which directly affects the muscles. Ultimately, doctors have to remove part of the affected skin in order to treat the skin, which can be incredibly painful too.
Any experienced caregiver should be able to identify a bed sore immediately, and if the patients’ pressure ulcers have gotten worse, it clearly is a sign of neglect or abuse. Usually, elders are unable to tell their caregiver about the bed sore, mainly because they can’t feel much of their pain due to old age and diseases.
If your loved one is forced to live in inhumane or abusive conditions, then you have every right to be outraged and demand justice for them. Nursing homes that place emphasis on their revenue rather than the patients’ wellbeing should be brought to justice, and this is where our expert attorneys at The Higgins Firm can help.
We have helped thousands of families in prosecuting nursing homes and caregivers whose irresponsible or deliberate actions cause discomfort to their loved ones and, in some unfortunate cases, even death. Just get in touch with us today, and see how we can help.
The insurance company has a legal team. You should too.