An understaffed nursing home can be a dangerous place for your loved ones. They may be neglected and not get the care that they need. The proper staff may not be on site if there’s an emergency. There is a greater risk of injury, illness and things of this nature.
Concerningly, it seems that many nursing homes are understaffed. For instance, one study determined that the nursing home needed to provide 4.1 hours of care per resident, per day. This was deemed to be the minimum amount of time that an elderly individual would require for all of their needs to be met.
However, only 26% of nursing homes meet this threshold. That’s just one out of every four, meaning that the vast majority of nursing homes would be understaffed by that standard.
The staff may mean well
This is important to note because people often think that nursing home neglect is done intentionally or maliciously. They imagine that an elderly person has an emergency and pushes the call button, but the staff workers just don’t care or they’re distracted by their phones. They choose not to respond promptly, leading to an adverse outcome.
But the reality may simply be that there aren’t enough people on staff to begin with. The staff members who are there are working frantically, with the best of intentions, as they try to meet everyone’s needs. But there are not enough people to do so effectively, so some emergencies don’t get the prompt response that they require. Some residents don’t get the level of care that they deserve.
Do you believe that your loved one has been harmed due to neglect in a nursing home? Be sure you know what legal options you have.
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