A Kentucky woman has filed a nursing home diabetic care negligence lawsuit against Symphony Crestwood, alleging that her insulin-dependent diabetic mother, who required skilled nursing care, was not properly cared for. The lawsuit claims that inadequate monitoring of blood glucose levels caused the plaintiff’s mother to go into coma, resulting in her death. The plaintiff seeks more than $50,000 in damages from the Kentucky nursing facility for negligent care.
Diabetes and the Elderly
Being elderly and diabetic raises a person’s risk of suffering from different ailments, requiring diligent & consistent care. Elderly diabetics are at an increased risk of mental and physical disabilities, heart ailments, stroke, extreme blood pressure changes, and premature death.
Besides, some health issues are more prevalent in aging and elderly diabetics, who are also at high risk of mental illnesses, depression, urinary incontinence, persistent pain, and reduced mental functioning. Bed sores only aggravate with diabetes.
Nursing Home Elderly Diabetic Care
Diabetes management is critical to the health & wellbeing of elderly patients affected by the disease. It requires ongoing evaluation and treatment, with constant monitoring of blood glucose levels and dietary intake. Elderly are at a higher risk of complications from diabetes. It is the responsibility of nursing homes to provide diabetes patients with a high level of care and constantly monitor changes in blood sugar levels.
The Kentucky nursing home negligence lawsuit accuses the nursing home of negligence and failure to constantly monitor blood sugar levels of the patient. As a result, she lapsed into a coma and consequently died. The plaintiff claims that this condition could have been avoided had the nursing home staff been diligent in monitoring the patient’s blood glucose levels and providing preemptive treatment in the case any changes were detected.
Skilled Nursing Homes
A higher level of care is expected of skilled nursing facilities for residents, as the latter are fighting different medical and health conditions and have increased medical and care needs. Loved ones of residents expect the nursing homes to ensure that all medical & care needs of the residents would be attended to. Lack of proper care and negligence in such facilities often has devastating results, leading to injury to or even death of the resident, as cited by Kentucky nursing home abuse lawsuits.
The prime causes of nursing home abuse include:
- Understaffing: Mistakes and neglects often become commonplace in nursing homes with a shortage of staff. The rising cost of labor is often blamed for the understaffing of care homes. As a result, residents do not get adequate personal attention, often resulting in their abuse from the overstressed and overworked staff. Studies show that residents in understaffed long-term care facilities are at a high risk of abuse, infections, malnutrition, severe weight loss, pneumonia, dehydration, and bedsores.
- Exhaustion & overtime: The lack of adequate staff puts excessive pressure on existing staff. An exhausted & overworked staff that has to work overtime may make mistakes and fail to monitor changes in patient’s health condition.
Staff is required to supervise residents and ensure that their basic care needs are met, including going to the bathroom, administering medicines, maintaining hygiene & cleanliness, and providing right diet. Without enough staff, nursing home diabetic care isn’t possible. Rather, these set stage for dehydration, unhygienic setting, lack of direct care and health issues.
Thus often Kentucky nursing homes tend to be negligent in providing care to residents. If a loved one has suffered or died due to nursing home diabetic care negligence or abuse you may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering and medical expenses, besides other costs associated with the neglectful act.
Get in touch with us at 1-800-632-1404 to speak with our expert nursing home abuse attorney in Kentucky for legal consultation. Contact us to review your case and get back to you.