Death of Alzheimer’s patient may point to neglect

Earlier this week, the Kansas City Star reported that a nursing home resident had gone missing. That was approximately noon on Sunday. The man’s body was found at 9 p.m. a mile and a half away. Temperatures soared to over 100 degrees that day, and although autopsy results are not available, it’s safe to say that a 75-year-old nursing home patient should not have been wandering around.

Although he was wearing an ankle monitor, the device did not connect to a central tracking location monitored by employees. It only sounds an alarm from the bracelet. It was not the first time he had wandered away.

The memory loss, dementia and confusion associated with the disease require the staff to be on their collective toes at all times while Alzheimer’s patients are in their care.

Warning signs of negligence

Residents wandering unattended is one of the big telltale signs of negligence. If you have a loved one in a senior facility, you should know and be on the lookout for other indications.

• Messy living conditions
• Lack of basic hygiene
• Lack of care for medical problems
• Unexplained death of a resident
• Injuries or explanations that don’t make sense
• Frequent “illnesses”
• Suddenly withdrawn or non-communicative
• Unusual or unexplained behavior
• Resident becomes emotional or agitated easily
• Rapid weight loss or gain
• Bed Sores

What to do if you suspect nursing home neglect

If you suspect that a nursing home is being negligent, the best thing you can do is hire experienced legal representation. If litigation is necessary, the facility will have lawyers who will do everything possible to mitigate liability. You will need an experienced nursing home negligence law firm that will advocate for