Families often place their aging loved ones into nursing homes because they believe that they’ll be able to pay more attention to the loved one’s every need than they can. What these family members often don’t realize is how lighting, flooring, poorly selected furniture and inadequate handrails can put their loved ones at serious risk of getting hurt or killed.
Individuals often experience a decline in their visual acuity as they age. Poor lighting, whether it’s too dim or bright, can make it difficult for an aging person to see any hazards that are in their path. This makes them vulnerable to suffering a fall.
Many nursing home owners install carpet or tile flooring throughout their facilities to try to make them feel warm and inviting. This flooring can deteriorate from repetitive use. Many facilities place rugs in and around highly trafficked areas. Poorly maintained or cluttered floors can put nursing home residents at risk of suffering a catastrophic fall.
If you ever take time to look at the furniture in your loved one’s nursing home room, then you’ll likely notice that many of the chairs don’t have armrests. This is quite dangerous. Residents may fall if they try to get up and have nothing to aid them in doing so.
Another danger that puts nursing home residents at risk of getting hurt is the lack of handrails in bathrooms. Aging individuals often lack both the strength to get up from a seated position and experience restricted mobility. Having access to handrails can provide them with that extra added layer of confidence to continue living more independently. If their room lacks these safety features, then they may be subject to getting hurt.
Many individuals place their aging loved ones in a nursing home in hopes that they’ll be in a safer setting and receive more consistent care than they otherwise would at home. This isn’t always the case though.
There’s no guarantee that your loved one’s Albuquerque nursing home will adhere to the required New Mexico staff to resident ratio or that they’ll provide residents with the right equipment or supervision that they need to keep them safe. An attorney can advise you how you might be able to hold your loved one’s facility accountable for any injuries that they suffered while they were supposed to be under their watchful eyes.