A grieving family is suing a nursing home for negligence, claiming that a deceased woman was not sufficiently treated for bowel issues.

According to estate representative Cedric C., Ethel P. was reportedly admitted to Life Care Center of Altamonte Springs in Florida in May 2014. In 2017, she was reportedly discharged to stay at the hospital but was readmitted on Aug. 11, 2017.

Unfortunately, Cedric says that on Aug. 20, 2017, Ethel died in the hospital due to septic shock and a perforated bowel.

Ethel’s family is suing a nursing home for negligence, claiming that Ethel was not sufficiently cared for and that neglect caused her to die. The family accuses the care center of the following neglect: delays in medical care; failure to prevent constipation, obstruction, and impaction which lead to bowel perforation; failure to monitor; inadequate pain management; and more.

“As a direct and proximate result of the defendant’s negligence, [Ethel] died and her surviving son, [Cedric], has sustained a loss of impairment of the services, companionship, and consortium of his mother and will suffer such losses in the future,” the nursing home neglect lawsuit claims.

By suing a nursing home for negligence, Cedric seeks damages and compensation for his mother’s death and his own loss.

Unfortunately, nursing home negligence is disturbingly common. Many nursing homes are understaffed, which may lead to subpar care of residents due to a lack of support. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, a New York study showed that 1 in 13 older adults was subject to nursing home neglect in a single year.

A large portion of these victims do not have their neglect reported and are left to suffer in silence.

Nursing home abuse can take a variety of forms, including the following:

• Neglect: refusal of care or repeated failure to provide food, shelter, health care, and protection; may present itself in the form of bed sores, fall injuries, malnutrition, dehydration, and chronic infections.
• Physical Abuse: inflicting or threatening to inflict physical pain and injury, or depriving a vulnerable elder of a basic need; bruises, broken bones, abrasions, and burns may accompany this type of abuse.
• Sexual abuse: non-sexual contact of any kind; bruises around the breasts or genitals may indicate this type of abuse.
• Abandonment: the desertion of a vulnerable elder by those responsible for their care; an example of this situation may include if a senior was left behind or was not properly cared for during a natural disaster.

Because nursing home neglect and abuse can take so many forms, it may be hard to know exactly what to look for. According to Next Avenue, warning signs of nursing home neglect may include poor personal hygiene, unsanitary living conditions, physical issues from lack of nutrition, loss or lack of mobility, unexplained injuries, and psychological issues.

“Neglect is a tragic issue that can cause serious physical and psychological harm for elderly nursing home residents. Knowing the warning signs and indicators of abuse can help you protect your loved one,” the organization states.

The Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit is Case No. 2019-CA-000538-11H-G in the Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit, in and for Seminole County, Florida.