How Understaffed Nursing Homes Lead to Abuse and Neglect of Residents

Nursing homes throughout Virginia are understaffed, leading to serious concerns about the treatment of nursing home residents, including Virginia nursing home abuse and neglect. While the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act requires that nursing homes have appropriate staffing to provide nursing and related services to the residents, nursing homes throughout Virginia continue to be understaffed. This lack of staff has dire consequences on the residents, including malnutrition, dehydration, sickness, injury and even death.
In nursing homes that are understaffed, nursing home workers are too busy to care for the elderly residents. Nursing home abuse and neglect from understaffed Virginia nursing homes results in the following:

• Residents not being properly fed or given enough fluids
• Lying or sitting in one position for too long, causing bed sores, muscular pain and stiffness
• Medication errors
• Poor hygiene, including lack of bathing
• Unsanitary conditions such as unwashed bedding and clothing, even when soiled

We also believe that understaffed nursing homes lead to emotional abuse of the elderly residents. Overworked staff are under a significant amount of stress trying to cater to the needs of all of the nursing home residents. As a result, the stress and anxiety trigger nursing home staff to lash out at the residents verbally, mentally and emotionally.
Nursing home residents should never be subjected to nursing home abuse and neglect. Elderly residents deserve the highest level of care possible. If you or a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse and neglect due to an understaffed Virginia nursing home, contact Norfolk nursing home neglect attorney Michael Weisberg at (800) 690-0235. You may also complete the contact form at the top of this page to speak with an experienced Norfolk nursing home neglect lawyer today.