Since the time of his diagnosis, you and your father knew about the potential risks of diabetes. You knew, for example, that diabetes could result in:
- Vision or hearing problems.
- Cardiovascular problems.
- Kidney complications.
- Dangerous infections.
- Nerve damage.
You did everything that you could to protect your father, but at some point his medical needs became too involved for your family to manage at home. Together, you made the decision to move him to a nursing home where he could get the care that he needed and stay safe.
But That’s Not What Happened
Instead of staying safe, your father developed an infection or some of his major organs began shutting down because of his uncontrolled blood glucose levels. You are left wondering if the nursing home was giving him the nutrition, the medication, and the reasonable care that he needed.
You don’t want to live the rest of your life wondering about what happened. Instead, you want to review the nursing home records to determine:
- How your father was fed and hydrated. All of the food, drink, and IV nutrition that was provided to your father should be documented. Additionally, staff should monitor and record how much your father actually ate or drank.
- How often your father’s blood glucose was checked. Regular blood glucose, or blood sugar, monitoring is critically important to the health of a patient with diabetes. Your father’s blood glucose levels should have been recorded. If the readings were not in the normal range, follow-up actions should have been taken with a nutritionist, medical doctor, or other professional to see if changes to your father’s diet or medication were necessary.
- When your father was provided with insulin or other medication. It is important to know when your father received medication, what medication he received, and in what amounts he received it.
- How often your father’s vital signs were checked. Your father should have been regularly checked for signs of infection, cardiovascular complications, and kidney problems. This may have included, but was not necessarily limited to, body temperature, heart rate, urine output, and visual signs of infection.
- When the nursing home first noticed signs of complications. Complications that are recognized promptly may be easier to treat. Thus, it is useful to know when the nursing home first noticed signs of diabetes complications and when treatment was sought for your father.
All of this should be documented by the nursing home, but the nursing home may be reluctant to provide you with this information unless it is legally compelled to do so. Accordingly, you may have to pursue a legal claim to get the information that you need and, if appropriate, the damages that you deserve.
Has Your Loved One Been Injured In A Nursing Home?
If you believe your loved one is being subjected to nursing home abuse you need to speak with an experienced Kentucky nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.
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