Michigan Nursing Homes Face 3 Growing Problems
Although Michigan does have some nursing home facilities that approach resident care with the most tender touch there are still many who are failing our most vulnerable family member and friends. Nursing home abuse and neglect happens too often and when it does, family members should hold health care workers and organizations responsible for a loved one’s injury or death that occurred while under their care. Here are three common and growing issues Michigan nursing home residents face every day.
1) Many Michigan Nursing Homes Are Understaffed
Even though studies have shown that more staff leads to better care, nursing homes remain heavily understaffed across the state. In addition, poorly paid nurses and CNAs are constantly asked to do too much for too little. Because of the heavy demand, care workers aren’t able to give the time and attention needed to tend to each and every patient.
2) Residents Are Wrongfully Evicted
The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman’s office says state and federal law allows nursing homes to remove residents for just a few very specific reasons but that doesn’t stop administrators from abruptly putting residents onto a family member’s doorstep, into a local hospital, or move them into homes not equipped to care for the patient’s needs. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is responsible for oversight at long-term care facilities, but they rarely intervene, making the problem of wrongful evictions a growing issue.
3) Pain is Common and Poorly Treated
Approximately 25 percent of deaths in the United States occur in long-term care facilities because patients are failing to receive the correct pain management treatment. Medical workers not trained in pain management are prescribing too many doses of powerful drugs or prescribing them alongside other drugs, causing dangerous outcomes for nursing home or residential facility patients. In 2016, a 70-year-old nursing home patient from Kent County and long-time chronic pain sufferer, died from a mixture of fentanyl and oxycodone — both powerful painkillers.
Medical Malpractice Is a Form of Negligence
Medical Malpractice negligence does not have to come from a doctor. Any number of health care workers can be held responsible for committing medical malpractice, including physician assistants, nurses, and interns. When filing a malpractice lawsuit, family members are able to hold people and organizations responsible especially when care is mismanaged and a negligent injury or resident death has occurred.
If You Need Help, We Will Come to You
We understand it can be a difficult time for your family to travel to a lawyer. With offices throughout the state of Michigan, the team at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, P.C. can come to you to learn more about your nursing home abuse and neglect concerns. Our team of Michigan nursing home and medical malpractice lawyers is ready to fight to ensure you and your family receives fair compensation and justice. There is no fee unless we win your case.
Please contact us at 1-800-LEE-FREE (1-800-533-3733) for a free phone consultation or visit us online to send our team a message.
