When you entrust the care of your loved one to a nursing facility in Chicago, IL, you rightfully anticipate that they will receive appropriate attention and compassion. The unfortunate reality is that this doesn’t always happen, and nursing home neglect and abuse are real issues that take place far too often.
If you suspect that a loved one is suffering from nursing home dehydration as a result of abuse or neglect, it’s critical to consider the assistance of a skilled nursing home lawyer. At Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers, we have 30 years of combined experience and have secured tens of millions of dollars for our clients.
Contact us today at (312) 929-2884 to schedule a free consultation with a Chicago nursing home dehydration lawyer.
How Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Nursing Home Dehydration Case
An experienced lawyer can be instrumental in crafting a compelling case against nursing home neglect in Chicago, Illinois. Here’s how our experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys can help:
Investigation
We will thoroughly scrutinize every detail concerning the nursing home and its staff, including owners, administrators, and staff members.
Review Past Complaint
Past wrongs on behalf of the nursing home won’t stay hidden forever. We will review the history of complaints or charges raised against the facility to discern patterns that could be indicative of systemic negligence or abuse.
Consult With Expert Witnesses
If needed, we have a network of expert witnesses we can consult with regarding your claim. They can review the case and make determinations about the health of your loved one and present evidence connecting their injuries to dehydration.
Negotiating Damages
We will strive to negotiate the most favorable settlement possible for damages and distress suffered by your loved one. This is often preferable to taking a case to trial, which can be stressful, expensive, and time-consuming.
Should you suspect that neglect or abuse at a nursing home has led to injuries to your loved one, we’re here for you. Contact our law office in Chicago today to get started.
How Common Are Nursing Home Neglect Claims in Chicago, Illinois?
Each year, a disturbing reality comes to light – hundreds of thousands of adults aged 60 and above are subjected to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation in nursing home facilities.
- In an eye-opening research study conducted by the Atlanta Long-Term Care Ombudsmen, 95% of the interviewed residents shared that they had personally encountered neglect or had witnessed fellow residents experiencing neglect.
- Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), who play a crucial role in caregiving, have reported concerning observations. In a survey involving CNAs undergoing specialized training to prevent abuse and neglect, 37% revealed that they had witnessed instances of neglect when providing care for residents.
These statistics highlight the vulnerability of our elderly population and underscore the urgency of addressing this widespread concern.
Overview of Nursing Home Dehydration in Chicago, IL
Dehydration can serve as an alarming symptom indicating potential neglect or abuse within elderly care facilities. As older adults often struggle with self-advocacy due to a variety of reasons like dementia or general frailty, they primarily rely on the facility’s staff for basic needs like food and water intake.
Symptoms of Complications of Nursing Home Dehydration
Awareness of the symptoms of nursing home neglect and dehydration becomes crucial to safeguarding the well-being of your loved one. Symptoms such as dry skin and feeling very thirsty or tired could be early indications of dehydration.
More severe symptoms and complications include:
- Dizziness
- Urinating less than usual
- Unusually dark-colored urine
- Fainting or confusion among patients
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney failure
- Hypertension
- Seizures
Dehydration could also exacerbate cognitive declines leading to dementia, making proper hydration critical for this vulnerable demographic. In severe cases, nursing home dehydration can lead to wrongful death claims.
Liability in Nursing Home Dehydration Cases
In nursing home dehydration cases, the burden of liability falls squarely on those entrusted with providing care to residents. The following parties could be held liable:
The Nursing Facility
As an entity, the nursing home facility is responsible for ensuring that all residents have access to and regularly receive adequate fluids.
Administrators & Staff Members
From administrators down to caregivers and nurses, everyone has a collective responsibility in constantly monitoring hydration levels of each resident through regular checks.
Preventing Nursing Home Neglect Resulting in Dehydration
Oftentimes, nursing home dehydration is a result of neglect, not abuse. In these cases, there are preventative measures that can be put in place:
Policies & Procedures
Adequate guidelines should be established by these institutions mandating regular checks of water provisions. Furthermore, urine output must also be continually checked since this could serve as an early indication of dehydration.
Ongoing Training Programs
Providing effective training programs focused specifically around recognizing risk factors associated with persistent dehydrations becomes crucial. Staff members should have the privilege of and be required to undergo regular training programs.
Potential Preventative Measures
Other possible preventative strategies include daily hydration charts, integration of more hydrating foods in meals (like fruits), easy availability and accessibility of drinking water within residents’ reach, monitoring medication side-effects which may induce dehydration, and creating individualized care plans catering specifically towards combating this issue.
Availability of Adequate Staff
To achieve all these objectives, it is paramount that the nursing facility hires a sufficient number of skilled employees to provide personalized care. This ensures no resident falls through the cracks due to understaffing or overworked staff members.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm in Chicago
Nursing facilities in Chicago, IL, have legal and moral obligations to provide quality care that safeguards each resident’s well-being. When they fail in this responsibility, it opens doors for potential lawsuits when their actions directly result in harm like chronic dehydration leading to other severe complications.
If you need legal help, we’re here for you. Reach out today at (312) 929-2884 to schedule a free consultation with a Chicago nursing home dehydration lawyer.
