A nursing home patient paralyzed from the waist down complains of mistreatment and neglect in an Iowa nursing home, saying workers don’t follow techniques and ignore his calls for help.
Hershel Smith was paralyzed in an automobile accident in 2008 and has lived in nursing homes ever since, the Des Moines Register reports.
But he is not satisfied with his new residence.
He’s not alone.
Iowa received an “F” rating in an annual nursing home review conducted by nonprofit Families for Better Care, according to the Register. This year Iowa dropped in the national rankings as well. The Register reported that Families for Better Care ranked Iowa nursing homes 46th in the nation.
The Register reports that Iowa has eight long-term care ombudsmen, who are required to hear complaints and resolve issues of more than 54,000 nursing home patients living in the state. We will repeat that again.
That’s eight ombudsmen for 54,000 patients. “I’ve run out of advocates,” he told the Register.
Nursing homes themselves are also commonly understaffed, reports the Register.
The state has been ravaged by nursing home injuries, deaths and sexual assaults in recent years.
From the Des Moines Register story: dangerous conditions have become more prevalent, residents have a harder time getting help from caregivers and an overwhelming percentage of registered complaints are verified by the state’s overworked ombudsmen.
Smith said he feels desperate when his wife can’t be at the home to take care of him, and he is left with the home staff. At one point, he ditched the home for a motel.
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by nursing homes and other care facilities that fail to provide proper care. If you believe your loved one has been harmed due neglect or abuse in a nursing home, take action and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
