Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly

Neglect of the elderly happens all too often

Unfortunately, care home negligence happens all too often. The most vulnerable people regularly fall victim to medical mistakes, and are often harmed indirectly because of a general lack of standards at the nursing home or residential home that cares for them.

There are many types negligence claims that can be brought by an elderly person (or their family on their behalf), including:

• Pressure sores – These occur frequently in hospital and other care facilities but should be preventable in all but a few extreme circumstances.

• Falls – Insufficient safeguards/care planning can lead to injuries occurring in a hospital or care home. Often, these injuries can be fairly insignificant, perhaps a minor bump or laceration, but they can also be more serious, such as a fractured hip which will require surgery. Most falls can be prevented and we have a high success rate in claims relating to falls in elderly patients.

• Over-medication – It is fairly common for elderly patients in residential care facilities to be given certain medication to keep them calm and quiet, when often the solution is simply better care, more stimulation or more interaction with the individuals.

• Pharmacy negligence – Most elderly people take a variety of medications, even when living an active life in their own home. Unfortunately, poor eyesight sometimes leads to them taking the wrong dose or even the wrong medication altogether, which can have very serious side effects.

At Harding Evans, we can help you through this difficult time

Where there has been a suspicion of sub-standard medical treatment towards an elderly loved one, there may be valid grounds to make a claim. Should this be the case, our team of experienced and sympathetic clinical negligence solicitors based in Wales can help support and guide you and your family through the investigation process.

To establish whether a claim is possible, please contact our solicitors today.