The decision to move a loved one into a nursing home is often a difficult one to make. Older adults may struggle to admit that they need more support than their loved ones can provide. Family members may fear alienating an aging loved one by insisting that they need support.
Generally, the expectation is that vulnerable older adults should receive support for daily needs ranging from the administration of medication to hygiene support at a nursing home. Unfortunately, some older adults end up enduring neglect while living in nursing homes. They may not receive the support they require. They may also end up injured or sickened because of negligence.
In many cases, understaffing has a direct correlation with the declining standard of care at a nursing home facility.
Why is understaffing common?
Most nursing homes are under the management of for-profit businesses. The goal is to comply with the law while keeping costs as low as possible. Staffing is one of the expenses that facilities can easily manage.
It is common practice to only schedule the minimum number of workers required based on the number of residents living at a facility. Nursing homes often pay low wages and may not offer many benefits. They may have a hard time filling vacancies, which may only worsen understanding issues.
How can a staff shortage lead to negligence?
When there aren’t enough workers on hand to meet the needs of vulnerable residents, workers have to make difficult choices. They may leave an older adult without support for an hour or longer when they need to go to the bathroom. That individual may end up falling if they try to handle matters on their own.
Other times, staff members have to cut corners when it comes to cleaning and facility maintenance. Those difficult decisions may then result in an increased fall risk due to debris or the rapid spread of infections or infestations throughout the facility.
There is also burnout to consider. Workers spread too thin and paid too little may not treat the residents in their care with the respect and dignity they deserve. In some cases, they may become outright abusive as a way of venting their frustrations.
When inadequate staffing may have contributed to a preventable fall, illness or injury, families may have grounds to pursue a nursing home negligence lawsuit . Taking legal action against a poorly-managed facility may provide financial compensation and create an incentive for the facility to improve their standard of care.
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