Making the decision to place a loved one or family member in the care of a nursing home is incredibly difficult. We want to ensure that are loved ones are getting the best care possible as well as being treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Sometimes nursing home residents can suffer from abuse and neglect at the hands of the nursing home. Nursing home abuse and neglect can take various forms and one of those forms is through unhygienic conditions.
Nursing homes and their staff have a responsibility to keep the nursing home clean and sanitary. This is important not only for residents to have pleasant living accommodations, but also because unclean living conditions can promote the spread of germs and bacteria. The elderly have weakened immune systems, and the spread of germs and bacteria can cause illnesses they otherwise would not have gotten.
When proper hygiene is not attended to in a nursing home, it is common for residents to get sick. This is why nursing home staff need to ensure the both the cleanliness and sanitation of the nursing home facility is attended to as well as the personal hygiene of the residents is take care of. In cases where these things are not properly taken care of, it is common for the nursing home to be understaffed or insufficient resources to keep up with the demands of a nursing home.
To prevent the spread of germs, bacteria and viruses throughout a nursing home, there are some things nursing home staff should do. Nursing home staff should always attend to their residents personal hygiene needs. The residents should be receiving the care they need to ensure their hygiene needs are meet. Nursing home staff should also ensure the facility is sanitary. They should always properly sanitize the toilets, showers, bathtubs, floors and rooms. They should also pay special attention to the kitchen where food for the residents is prepared. All staff should be instructed on safe food preparation and kitchen cleanliness.
If you believe that your loved one may not be getting their personal hygiene needs taken care of or are living in an unclean environment, you should consider contacting an experienced nursing home attorney. The attorneys at Martin Law Office have experience with these such cases and can help to ensure that your loved one gets justice if they have been harmed by unhygienic conditions in nursing homes.