Families generally choose to move people into nursing homes out of concern for their well-being. Maybe someone has developed dementia and is too combative for family members to support. Perhaps they require the administration of medication from professionals.
Ideally, nursing homes give vulnerable older adults a safe place to live in a community of others in similar circumstances. The staff members at a nursing home can meet someone’s medical needs and ensure their comfort and safety. A nursing home closes the gap between how much support families can offer and what their loved ones require.
The tragic reality in many Georgia nursing homes is that the standard of living doesn’t meet what people expect. A small but concerning percentage of nursing home residents experience neglect or outright abuse at the hands of care professionals. There is a relatively simple explanation for why nursing home abuse and neglect have become such common issues in recent years.
Staffing issues drive many safety concerns
Neglect and abuse in nursing homes have been issues for years, but the problem has worsened recently. Industry leaders and regulators have raised concerns in recent years about chronic understaffing at Georgia nursing homes. Many facilities don’t have enough licensed healthcare professionals and support workers on hand to meet the needs of residents. Employees then have to make difficult decisions about who they support and assist throughout their shifts.
A combination of low worker pay and questionable company practices contribute to worker burnout and flight from the industry. The result is that many nursing homes are barely compliant with existing statutes. They may fight intensely against any proposed rules intended to protect residents by increasing the number of staff members on hand.
Companies often put the control of costs, including staffing expenses, ahead of the well-being of their residents. A large portion of nursing homes are for-profit businesses that try to generate revenue by keeping costs for care as low as possible. Workers spread too thin and paid too little often cut corners during their shifts. Other times, they may take out their frustrations on the residents in their care by engaging in verbally or physically abusive conduct.
Filing a lawsuit against a facility is one of the only ways to address nursing home abuse and neglect. The creation of financial consequences might force the for-profit companies running nursing homes to reevaluate their priorities.
