Imagine entrusting the care of your elderly loved one to a nursing home, only to later discover they suffered from neglect or abuse. Sadly, this nightmare scenario is too common in understaffed Georgia care facilities. Georgia nursing home abuse attorneys know the devastating impact that inadequate staffing can have on the health and well-being of seniors.
Low staffing levels are one of the biggest risk factors for elder abuse and neglect. When a nursing home does not have enough caregivers, the staff becomes overworked and stressed. Important tasks get missed. Residents’ basic needs fall through the cracks. There is less supervision to prevent accidents and injuries. Frustrated staff may even lash out at residents. All of this puts seniors at greater risk of physical and emotional harm.
A Look at the Crime Numbers
Federal law requires nursing homes to have “sufficient staff” to meet residents’ needs. However, there are no specific minimum staffing ratios. Many facilities operate with bare bones staff in order to maximize profits. Over 90% of U.S. nursing homes are understaffed, according to some estimates. The problem has only worsened in recent years due to pandemic burnout and workforce shortages.
Chronic understaffing is rampant in Georgia nursing homes. Our state ranked 42nd in the nation for average nursing hours per resident per day, a common measure of staffing levels. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a five-star quality rating system for nursing homes. One of the three major criteria is staffing levels. Among Georgia nursing homes, 31% received a “below average” or “much below average” staffing rating from CMS as of December 2023.
Low CMS ratings are a red flag for potential neglect and abuse. A study by the New York Times found that residents of nursing homes with the lowest CMS ratings were over twice as likely to suffer harm compared to the highest rated homes.
Types of Neglect and Abuse Caused by Understaffing
When nursing homes don’t have enough staff, it puts residents at risk for different kinds of neglect and abuse:
- Basic needs neglect: This is when the nursing home doesn’t give residents enough food, water, help with hygiene, toileting, or moving around. They might also fail to keep the place clean and safe.
- Medical neglect: Residents might miss medications, have health problems that aren’t treated quickly, or get poor care that doesn’t follow their care plan. The nursing home may do a bad job controlling infections.
- Lack of supervision: Without enough staff to watch over residents, accidents and injuries are more likely to happen.
- Emotional abuse: Overworked staff might ignore, yell at, or isolate residents.
- Physical or sexual abuse: In the worst cases, staff might even physically or sexually abuse residents.
Not having enough staff can itself be a type of neglect. It means residents can’t get the good care they need and were told they would receive. Understaffing can also be a sign of other problems, like bad management, poor training for staff, and policies that aren’t good enough. If a nursing home knows it is understaffed but doesn’t fix the problem, it is putting frail, elderly residents in harm’s way. There is no excuse for having too few caregivers to meet residents’ basic needs.
Protecting Your Loved One from Understaffed Nursing Homes
If you have a loved one in a nursing home, watch for signs that might mean there isn’t enough staff:
- Call lights don’t get answered
- Your loved one tells you they have to wait a long time to get help
- You notice poor hygiene, bad smells, messy hair and clothes
- The bedding and clothes aren’t clean
- Your loved one loses weight suddenly
- You see injuries and don’t get a good explanation
- Staff seem stressed out and overworked
- You notice that staff keep quitting and new people are hired
Look at the nursing home’s ratings for staffing on the official Medicare website. See if any inspection reports mention not having enough staff. If you see warning signs, talk to the nursing home managers about your concerns. If things don’t get better, think about moving your loved one to a place with more staff.
You can also help protect your loved one by visiting often, at different times of the day. Really get to know the staff and other residents. Ask questions if you see anything that bothers you. The more involved you are, the more likely you’ll spot issues early. Don’t ignore your instincts if something feels wrong. Advocating for your loved one and being proactive are the best ways to catch neglect and abuse before serious harm happens.
Pursuing Justice for Victims of Understaffing Neglect and Abuse
Care facilities have a legal duty to ensure the health and safety of residents. Understaffing that leads to harm is a form of negligence and a violation of resident rights. Victims and their families may have grounds for a Georgia nursing home abuse lawsuit. As Georgia nursing home abuse lawyers, we fight tirelessly to hold negligent facilities accountable and secure justice for those harmed by understaffing. Damages in these cases may include compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and wrongful death. A successful lawsuit can also force facilities to correct systemic understaffing.
If you suspect your loved one was a victim of neglect or abuse in an understaffed nursing home, contact Chance, Forlines, Carter & King, PC today for a free consultation with a Georgia nursing home abuse attorney. We are here to listen to your story, advise you of your rights, and discuss your legal options. Let us put our experience to work for your family.
No senior should suffer harm because a care facility puts profits over people. We will fight to ensure the dignity, respect, and quality care your loved one deserves. Call now – justice starts with a single step.
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At Chance, Forlines, Carter & King, PC, we are dedicated Georgia nursing home abuse attorneys who stand up for the rights of seniors and their families. With decades of combined experience, our legal team knows how to build strong cases and recover maximum compensation. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary case review with a skilled Georgia nursing home abuse lawyer.