Poor Hygiene in Nursing Homes is a Form of Abuse

When nursing homes do not practice proper sanitation, residents become vulnerable to bacteria and germs that can cause serious health complications and wreak havoc on their immune systems.

This form of nursing home abuse can take place when residents who need assistance with everyday living tasks are neglected. When daily tasks like changing a resident’s clothing, assisting a resident with bathing or sanitizing the facility do not occur, it can put residents at a greater risk for life-threatening illnesses.

The Milwaukee nursing home abuse attorneys at PKSD strongly advocate the rights of nursing home residents and will fight to seek justice for abused residents. Contact us for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your loved one’s situation.

Dirty and Understaffed Nursing Home Facilities

Proper care of a resident includes not only helping make sure they are clean and bathed, but also ensuring that their environment is clean as well.

Proper sanitation for nursing homes requires staff members to carefully clean showers, toilets and bathroom facilities so that residents are not left to harmful unsanitary conditions.

Staff members must also take precautions when working in a nursing home’s kitchen and handling the residents’ food. The kitchen staff must be dressed in the proper attire that prevents germs and diseases from spreading and are required to be certified in handling food safely.

One common cause of an unsanitary nursing home can be understaffing. When nursing homes are short-staffed, the facility’s sanitation can become jeopardized if the staff does not have time to tend to all of the required tasks.

Understaffed nursing homes can lead to simple mistakes that may have serious consequences. For instance, if a staff member has been assigned too many patients to care for, he or she may neglect to follow proper sanitation procedures, such as washing his or her hands before handling a patient.

If you are unsure of how to identify nursing home abuse or neglect, look for the following signs:

If you suspect your loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse or has developed a serious medical condition due to unsanitary conditions of the facility he or she resides, seek help immediately.

Call 877-877-2228 if your loved one has been abused or neglected at a nursing home.