A nursing home resident that suffers from some level of dementia must remain under close supervision. One common symptom of dementia is wandering off, also called elopement. Any patient admitted to a nursing home facility is evaluated and the family is interviewed about any incident of wandering off. Also termed “critical wandering,” this symptom of dementia is often the reason that a family chooses to protect their loved one by placing him or her in a long term care facility. These patients must be under constant supervision so that they are not at risk of leaving the facility through unlocked exits.
There are various ways that dementia patients who wander must be monitored, from simple live observation to use of technological devices such as electronic alarm bracelets. Unfortunately, there are far too many instances of an Alzheimer’s or dementia patient wandering away from a nursing home that was not correctly secured or was understaffed. This is a form of nursing home neglect, and it leaves the facility open to legal action and subsequent compensatory damages. The value of a claim will be based upon the final outcome of the case. Was the patient ever found? There are cases in which an elderly dementia patient wanders off and is never found, or has been subject to the elements and suffers serious illness or injury due to exposure.
Nursing home residents that suffer from cognitive disabilities, or who are physically, mentally or chemically impaired can wander off or run away from the facility if left unsupervised. This is a serious situation, and all nursing homes are aware of the risk of elopement and should have safety measures in place so that this dangerous situation is controlled and monitored. If your loved one was unsupervised and wandered away from a Riverside nursing home, contact Attorney Joel Bryant immediately. The nursing home should have had the patient under close observation, as those suffering from Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia are at a far higher risk of wandering off or trying to escape a facility.
Riverside nursing homes that lack sufficient staff or have failed to train their staff are far more likely to have residents that wander off. Patients, upon admission to a facility must be fully assessed for their physical and mental abilities and disabilities, and a treatment and care plan put in place. As Alzheimer’s patients are 60% more likely to wander off than other residents, any patient suffering from dementia should be dutifully supervised and any areas he or she could access/enter must be secure so that the patient cannot leave the facility without the knowledge of the staff.
Every nursing home is required to provide each resident with the correct level of supervision appropriate to his or her condition. Any failure to do so that leads to injury, illness, a medical condition or death is a case of nursing home negligence, and legal action can be taken to recover compensation. An investigation into the facts should be undertaken immediately. The problems that can put your loved one in danger include unlocked doors where he or she can exit, a failure to provide adequate supervision, or the lack of sufficient staff to monitor those who are likely to wander. All residents who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s or are impaired due to medications are at risk if a nursing home is providing a negligent standard of care.
If your loved one has wandered from a nursing home and been injured or died, contact our firm for immediate assistance in filing a claim or lawsuit against the facility and any other negligent parties.