The Dangers of Nursing Home Wandering and Elopement

 Posted on April 29, 2024 in Personal Injury

Finding the right nursing home for your aging parents takes time and effort. You want to make sure they can spend their years there feeling comfortable, happy, and safe. One major issue plaguing nursing homes is wandering and elopement. If the facility does not do enough to make sure that its residents are where they are supposed to be, they could be guilty of harmful negligence. If your parent was injured while wandering inside or outside their nursing home, a compassionate Kane County, IL nursing home negligence attorney can help hold accountable the people responsible.

How Can Wandering and Elopement Be Prevented?

Nursing home wandering generally refers to when residents wander throughout their facility and into places where they should not be, as they could present the risk of harm. Elopement is when they wander outside the facility, where they can end up lost and in danger. Nursing homes are responsible for keeping their residents safe, and that includes making sure they are where they are supposed to be, in a safe and secure environment.

Nursing homes should have measures in place to prevent wandering and elopement. Such measures can include:

• Having sufficient staff to provide enough supervision
• Having cameras at all exits and doors so the residents’ movements can be monitored
• Having locks on doors and gates
• Having alarms on exit doors

Additionally, residents with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment should be under special monitoring to prevent wandering. All other residents should also be checked regularly for signs of cognitive decline to ensure that no one falls off the facility’s radar.

Injuries That Can Result From Neglectful Nursing Home Supervision

When a nursing home resident wanders around their facility, they could end up somewhere like a kitchen or loading dock where the equipment and activity could pose a danger. They could trip over uneven surfaces, get burned, or be hurt in several other ways. They can also end up locked somewhere, like a supply closet, unable to leave. This could leave them feeling scared and traumatized.

When elopement is involved, the injuries might be even more severe. A person suffering from cognitive impairment could easily be confused and can get lost and unable to safely cross a street. If they are lost outside for an extended period, they could suffer from hypothermia, heat stroke, or dehydration. They might miss taking critical medications, which could harm their health, and they might even get hurt in a pedestrian accident.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Aurora, IL Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

If your aging parent suffered injuries as a result of wandering or elopement, the nursing home needs to be held responsible for its negligence. A skilled Kane County, IL personal injury lawyer can build a case to get you the compensation you are entitled to at this distressing time. Call Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. at 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.