Although most people would prefer not to have their loved ones move into a Maryland nursing home, there is often little choice in the matter. As a result, nursing homes have become commonplace in Maryland and across the country. When a family trusts a nursing home to care for an aging loved one they assume, at a minimum, that their loved ones will receive the appropriate care.
The Standard of Care in Nursing Homes
Nursing homes are required to provide a certain level of care to residents. This is called the “standard of care.” The applicable standard of care varies based on the particular jurisdiction, and is often based upon local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Generally, although a nursing home cannot guarantee the safety of its residents, a nursing home must exercise reasonable care so that residents do not suffer physical injury and unnecessary mental distress. The applicable standard depends on the resident’s condition, which has to be evaluated by the nursing home, and addressed in properly caring for the resident. That means that if a resident has special needs, the nursing home should provide appropriate treatment and supervision to meet the standard of care for that particular resident.
Veteran’s Administration Nursing Home Among the Nation’s Worst
An internal report from the Department of Veterans Affairs found that a Veterans Affairs nursing home in Brockton, Massachusetts had “blatant disregard” for veteran safety, according to one news source. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began its investigation of the facility after a nurse brought her concerns to the VA’s attention. Residents at the VA nursing home in Brockton were almost three times more likely to develop bedsores than residents at private nursing homes, and were generally more likely to experience serious pain.