Indian River County Elder Neglect Lawyers Freeman Injury Law Home
Nursing Home Abuse in Sebastian
Infections in Nursing Homes
Nursing home abuse or neglect can fuel a greater number of infections among residents. Two common infections seen in such settings are:
- MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This hard-to-treat bacteria resists antibiotics and worsens rapidly. Proper care and cleanliness can prevent MRSA, which often shows up in urinary tract, wound, and respiratory infections.
- VRSA, or Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which may be caused when MRSA is treated with the strong antibiotic vancomycin. Patients with this infection require quarantine and must be put on a pump that removes vancomycin from their bodies. Once that process is complete, other drugs can be tried.
Care that conforms to state and federal standards, along with attention to residents’ hygiene and environmental cleanliness are key to helping prevent MRSA and VRSA in nursing homes.
Source: SkilledNursingFacilities.org
Incorporated as a city in 1923, Sebastian is at the northern tip of the Atlantic coastal area that is called Florida’s Treasure Coast. The Indian River County city is home to the nation’s first wildlife refuge, nearby Pelican Island. Now the county’s largest municipality, Sebastian has long been a favorite of fisherman and water sports enthusiasts. The St. Sebastian River, Indian River Lagoon and the broad expanse of the Atlantic Ocean make Sebastian a prized destination for tourists and residents alike. Surfers tout the area’s waves as some of the best on the country’s east coast.
At Freeman Injury Law, our experienced nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys have been enthusiastic supporters of the development that has made Sebastian a popular and growing Treasure Coast community. Our firm is pleased to be the one chosen by residents of Sebastian and communities throughout South Florida when strong and knowledgeable representation is needed to put a stop to instances of nursing home neglect and abuse.
The State Health Facts website confirms that Florida’s nearly 700 skilled nursing facilities are home to more than 71,000 residents. The experienced Sebastian nursing home neglect attorneys at our firm are confident that many nursing homes are dedicated to providing high-quality, professional care for the residents who’ve entrusted those facilities with their well-being. However, we also know that State Health Facts confirms that more than 90% of nursing homes in our state are cited for deficiencies – an average of more than 10 per facility.
The Sebastian nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at our firm have seen the reports from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration that document the fact that it has cited more than 300 facilities in the past year for failure to meet professional standards of care. The AHCA licenses and inspects Florida’s nursing homes and other medical facilities. Other deficiencies cited in 200 or more state nursing homes include:
- Problems with food procurement, storage, preparation or service
- Infection control program deficiencies
- Resident care plan issues
- Medication regimen concerns
- Housekeeping and maintenance problems
When standards of care go unmet, our Sebastian nursing home neglect attorneys know that the consequences can be serious for already frail and elderly nursing home residents. They are more likely to fall and suffer injuries because supervision is lacking. Immobile residents may develop bedsores because they aren’t turned frequently and their personal hygiene needs go unaddressed. If allowed to worsen, bedsores can admit bacteria to the body, making it more likely that residents will develop the severe medical condition sepsis. Even with aggressive treatment, sepsis – which occurs when the immune system tries to fight bacteria – can lead to death for as many as half of the 750,000 Americans who develop it each year. These are only a few of the possible problems stemming from negligence in nursing homes. Clearly they can pose serious threats to vulnerable and elderly residents.
Our Sebastian elder abuse lawyers know that older citizens of our community also are vulnerable, not just to neglect, but to abuse at the hands of caregivers, relatives, and other acquaintances. The National Center on Elder Abuse says that as many as 2 million Americans are abused in some way, and estimates that as many as 5 million may suffer financial abuse from those around them. Whether abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or comes from self-inflicted neglect, our elderly residents deserve better.
The Sebastian elder abuse and nursing home neglect attorneys at Freeman Injury Law, are committed to helping elderly citizens and their families battle abuse and neglect in and out of nursing facilities. If you suspect a problem with your care or that of a loved one, contact our offices and ask for a free consultation. We know how to investigate care concerns and how to build a strong case for compensation when harm has occurred. You pay our firm nothing unless we recover damages.
Freeman Injury Law – (800) 561-7777 -- Someone on YOUR Side
