Is nursing home poor hygiene a form of abuse?

On Behalf of | Jan 26, 2018 | Nursing Home Injuries

Poor hygiene is a serious health risk, especially in community environments with physically vulnerable people, such as child

care centers, hospitals and nursing homes. Poor hygiene can lead to the spreading of infectious illnesses, and is responsible for the deaths of people each year.

The legal responsibilities of nursing home care workers

Workers at nursing homes have the responsibility to care for their residents. This includes making sure that the whole environment is sanitized and any infectious viruses are contained to stop them from spreading. If they do not manage hygiene properly, they are failing to fulfill their responsibilities as caregivers. It is likely that because of this, they could be found liable for negligence and neglect.

What are the dangers of dirty and unhygienic conditions?

Sicknesses arise from dirty conditions, and there are many procedures that are in place in nursing homes that workers should be following. This includes clear instructions when it comes to the bathroom facilities, kitchen cleanliness and dealing with patients that have contagious illnesses.

Understaffed nursing homes could be liable

It is a common problem that arises: Nursing homes are often understaffed, and therefore, the employees find it extremely difficult to keep the home up to the required hygiene standards. This is an error of management; however, deaths can occur as a result, and therefore, the understaffing problem could constitute negligence.

If you believe that a loved one experienced neglect due to poor hygiene in their nursing home, it is important that you research the situation and take action to prevent such an experience from happening to anyone else.

Source: Nursing Home Abuse Guide, “Poor hygiene,” accessed Jan. 26, 2018

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