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When you take your loved one to a nursing home, you expect that they will be properly looked after while there. However, if they wander off or elope from the property, particularly when they have dementia or other memory-related conditions that impair their cognition, that can be a very dangerous situation. Unfortunately, wandering in Philadelphia nursing homes remains a serious safety concern.
If your elder relative has suffered injuries because they shuffled into the wrong rooms or escaped the facility entirely, you can hold the facility liable for their negligence. A Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyer from Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys can help you take legal action against anyone responsible for your loved one’s care. Contact our empathetic nursing home abuse attorneys for legal help today.
Common Reasons Why Residents Wander in Nursing Homes
Residents may wander through assisted living facilities when they move around without any guidance. This is common among people who have dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other memory conditions that impair their cognition. While nursing home residents are allowed to move around freely within the confines of the home, those who wander are often at risk of walking into other people’s rooms or leaving the property grounds entirely in an unintentional case of elopement. Common reasons why wandering in Philadelphia nursing homes occurs include:
- Staffing shortages
- Lack of dedicated wander guards in the facility
- Not assessing if a new intake tends to wander
- Restlessness on the part of the resident
- Unmet needs such as toiletries, food, water, or relief
- Residents seeking out “familiar territory” such as their home
- Desire to escape due to feelings of isolation, anxiety, or agitation
Elderly citizens who wander and are found where they should not be rarely remember how they got there. Worse, wandering constitutes a great risk to their well-being, as they may suffer injuries that they are unaware of.
Few experiences are more distressing than learning that your loved one wandered off or eloped from the facility’s property and suffered injuries as a result. A wandering mishap is most often a negligence issue, and the resident’s relatives are well within their rights to hold the facility accountable. A nursing home attorney can provide you with legal options, including seeking financial relief.
Possible Hazards of Wandering in Assisted Living Facilities
When elderly residents elope or wander from a nursing home in Philly, they face many dangers, including:
- Increased risk of being struck by vehicles in traffic
- Unauthorized access to other residents’ medications or belongings
- Cuts, bruises, and broken bones from falling into ditches, walking barefoot, or being attacked by wildlife
- Exposure to harsh weather conditions, such as freezing cold or extreme heat, can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, heat exhaustion, and even death
- Higher risk of dehydration and malnutrition if lost for long periods
Unfortunately, facility staff in Philadelphia nursing homes may not be aware of residents who wander off from the facility. This means that they may not be found for hours, thus potentially increasing the possibility of them suffering serious harm.
Who is Liable if a Loved One Wanders from a Nursing Home?
The assisted living facility and its staff may be liable if a resident wanders off or elopes from their retirement home.
This is because they are expected to have measures in place, including geo-fencing technology and wander guards – staff dedicated to taking care of people needing memory care – and initial wander-risk assessments to help prevent wandering accidents in Philadelphia nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Speak With a Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Although resident elopement or wandering in Philadelphia nursing homes should not happen, it does. You and your elderly loved one should not have to go through such stressful situations just because the facility and its workers did not do their job. You have the right to hold them accountable for their mistakes.
At Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys, P.C., our lawyers can help you determine your next steps.
Call now to discuss your case.
