The Ohio Attorney General’s office referred to a recent case of nursing home neglect as “gut-wrenching.” Indeed, it seems that the case shocked the consciousness of virtually everyone in authority — which is remarkable given the way that many cases of nursing home neglect are overlooked.
A Franklin County grand jury has indicted seven defendants — six nurses and a nurse practitioner — on 34 charges, including falsifying patient records, forgery, gross patient neglect and involuntary manslaughter. So far, none of the defendants have entered the plea.
The charges stem from the death of one male resident, whose condition was so dire that authorities say he literally “rotted away” without anyone seeking appropriate care. Despite the fact that he was suffering from gangrene and wounds that had gone necrotic, the facility’s nurses delayed taking the patient to the hospital for treatment. He ultimately died of septic shock on March 5, 2017.
Charges are also related to the care of a female resident, who suffered unspecified harm as a result of nursing neglect. In an effort to hide their neglect, nurses falsified the patient’s records. At times, they noted in the record that they were administering care or treatment to the patient when other records show that she wasn’t even at the facility.
As Attorney General Dave Yost said in a news conference following the nurses’ indictment, “This case goes to the heart of protecting the unprotected.”
Nursing home managers continue to leave their homes critically understaffed — and the staff that is there aren’t always willing to do their jobs the way that they should. Like the nurses in this case, they may be more than willing to cut corners — and lie to try to cover what they’ve done.
If you have a loved one in one of these facilities, pay close attention to signs of nursing home neglect, including things like untreated wounds, bedsores and other health issues. The sad reality is that you can’t really rely on the staff to look after your loved one. You have to be vigilant for them to prevent horrors like these from taking place.
If your loved one is a victim of nursing home neglect, do your part to prevent others from suffering the same kind of treatment: Find out how to hold the perpetrators of such abuse accountable for their actions.
