Last week, Gail Drmacich noticed that her 68 year old mother-in-law's arm was turning green. Drmacich's mother-in-law was under the care of St. John's Place, a nursing home facility that is not only in the midst of a criminal elder abuse investigation, but has been faced with three wrongful death lawsuits since 2003. Because it seemed that the nursing home was ignoring this serious sign of injury, Drmacich telephoned a doctor at a nearby hospital. The doctor recommended that the resident be taken to the ER immediately. Drmacich then notified St. John's Place, but she claims it took the nursing home over two hours to order an ambulance.
A medical examination revealed that Drmacich's mother-in-law was suffering from a separated shoulder and a fractured elbow. Drmacich believes the injuries were perhaps the results of a fall, and that they were caused by nursing home neglect. The former resident was still in the hospital at the time the story was reported, but Drmacich had already cleaned out her mother-in-law's room at St. John's Place and withdrawn her from its care. A representative for St. John's Place briefly commented that these are only allegations, yet to be proven by the state or even brought to the state.
Drmacich also stated that her mother-in-law had shown signs of bruising in the past, and Drmacich appears to have been continually frustrated with the care provided by St. John's Place. Although it took something as unnerving as a green arm to alert her that something was seriously wrong, you should be aware that sometimes smaller signals can be signs of big problems. Bruising can be caused by many factors, and can be much more common in the elderly, but there are some types of bruising that should alert you that abuse or neglect may be occurring. Here is a helpful guide on what to do if you believe your loved one is a victim of such abuse or neglect.
If you or someone you love has been injured, neglected or abused in a nursing home at the hands of nursing home caretakers, please contact Ed Fox & Associates today.
