The decision to entrust the care of a loved one to a skilled nursing facility can be one of the hardest choices we have to make. 

Current trends in the United States suggest longer work-life and longer life expectancy. For many of us, this makes it impossible to continue to care for our elderly or disabled loved ones at home, forcing us to trust a nursing home with their wellbeing. 

 

At its core, a skilled nursing facility is a healthcare delivery system that is designed to provide for the daily needs of elderly or disabled residents. When this system works, it can create a greater quality of life for elderly individuals and their loved ones. However, when the system fails, it can cause a tremendous amount of unnecessary pain and suffering, and sometimes even premature death for the elderly or disabled resident, as well as the premature loss of companionship for their family.

 

Occasionally, the skilled nursing facilities fail when their employees act deliberately or negligently and cause harm to the elderly or disabled resident.

 

More frequently, though, the failures of nursing homes are due to improper management by their corporate owners, including failures to provide adequate staffing and equipment to care for the residents of the facility.  Oftentimes this occurs as a result of the company’s desire to maximize profits by minimizing overhead costs. 

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