There are growing concerns about the isolation of elderly residents in long-term care homes in New Mexico. Extended isolation is a problem that is the result of nursing home negligence. Many people are worried that it is ruining the older residents’ health and leading to their premature deaths.
The isolation problem
Nursing home staff members might isolate many of their patients to locked bedrooms or restricted sections of the building in order to prevent the spread of infection. Residents may not leave to go anywhere, and no one can see them for weeks or months. It is a form of nursing home negligence when the personal needs of elderly patients are ignored and forced into confinement against their own will.
In these conditions, staff have restricted access to their patients and cannot care for them properly. Patients cannot move around or exercise regularly either. Any underlying conditions that they have might deteriorate due to lack of proper treatment.
Isolation is a form of negligence
Extended isolation is often overlooked and underreported in statistics. Seniors could be isolated for weeks or months at a time and be left to fend for themselves without getting adequate food, drink or companionship. Meanwhile, their mental and physical health decreases significantly, especially if they have chronic conditions, and isolation increases their risks for medical emergencies.
All forms of neglect need to be taken seriously
Social isolation could be a form of criminal negligence. It’s a problem that no doctor, nurse, patient, or family member should ignore. Both elder law and personal injury lawyers deal with isolation and other forms of nursing home neglect and abuse that are serious crimes in New Mexico.
