When placing a loved one in a nursing home, their safety and comfort are the family’s primary concerns. There are far too many stories of nursing home abuse and neglect. Some of the following situations are some of the most common reasons for nursing home disputes.

High Staff/Patient Ratio

Nursing home abuse is more likely to occur when there is a high patient/staff ratio. If there are not enough aides, a patient’s care may suffer as a result. Additionally, the turnover rate for employees is another key indicator that there may be a problem. If people are constantly quitting their jobs, there is a reason why. Management may not listen to their concerns, or staff may be overworked. This may also cause staff to lack necessary training and experience if they have not been employed at the home for long. These statistical figures can help bolster the patient’s family’s case and make a jury truly question whether adequate care was being provided. As part of a solution reached in mediation or arbitration, changing training protocols or requiring a specific staff/patient ratio may be one unique way to help the parties resolve the dispute.

Maintenance Problems

In some instances, loved ones are not injured because of any abusive tactics of stressed employees. Instead, they may suffer because of lowered health standards. This can be problematic for patients who may suffer from weaker immune systems and who are more likely to suffer a serious injury after a fall. Loved ones may start to document maintenance issues, including fraying carpet, warped floors or broken HVAC systems. Providing such documentation to the mediator may help convince the nursing home that important changes are necessary in order to help protect the health and safety of the existing and future patients.