People who have elderly loved ones in a nursing home or other type of residential care facility tend to worry about all kinds of things. Falls are a big concern. Understaffing is also a serious problem these days. When there aren’t enough staff members caring for residents, all kinds of things can go wrong.
For example, exposure to or even ingesting toxic substances is a related risk. That can happen in multiple ways. If a resident wanders into an unlocked supply room and drinks something they believe is water or juice that is actually bleach or other cleaning product, the result can be fatal.
It can be dangerous to assume that this can only happen to someone with dementia – although those in memory care are at greatest risk. Even someone who has mild cognitive impairment or taking new or stronger medication can make this mistake.
Accidental consumption of poisonous substances can happen in other ways. For example, several years ago, three residents of one Northern California assisted living facility were poisoned when dishwashing liquid that had been poured into a pitcher was served by other staff members who thought it was juice. One resident died as a result.
It’s crucial to investigate
It’s important to know that harm or death caused by poisoning can be mistaken for something else – particularly in elderly people who may have numerous health issues. As we discussed in a recent post, getting an autopsy for an elderly person can be challenging.
Nursing home staff may not know what happened. Those responsible may not tell management. It’s also possible that those in charge will lie to families – or at least try to impede requests for an investigation.
For all these reasons and more, if a loved one suffers harm or worse in a care facility that could have been the result of negligence or even intentional actions, it’s smart to get experienced legal guidance to get to the bottom of what happened and to seek justice and compensation.