• Nursing homes have become a staple in senior care, offering a safe, caring environment for those unable to care for themselves independently. In general, nursing home staff members are qualified professionals who can offer patients quality healthcare. In some instances, however, nursing homes fall short of what they can or should provide, generating risks to the patients. Further, despite the nursing home's best efforts, patients at times suffer mishaps. Understanding and being aware of the the risks and pitfalls of nursing home care can help you to ensure that your loved one is receiving the best care possible.
  
  

Falls

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nursing homes with roughly 100 beds have between 100 and 200 falls annually. Moreover, the CDC reports that 1,800 seniors die from falls and related injuries in nursing homes annually. Falls can sometimes be a sign of an underlying illness in a senior citizen or simply the result of old age. Because an older individual's body is more fragile overall, falls are much more likely to cause a major injury such as a severe fracture or paralysis. Falls are infinitely more dangerous in a nursing home with a staff shortage, as this means that the patient could lie on the floor for an extended period of time, waiting for help to arrive.
  
  

Neglect

• Neglect, whether intentional or unintentional, is responsible for over 50 percent of abuse complaints, according to HealthGuide.org. Stricter budgets, less staff and reduced access to resources all contribute to this problem. In fact, it is one of the major reasons that many people cite mistrust toward the nursing home industry. Signs of a loved one in nursing home care being neglected include unexplained weight loss, bruises and depression in those that cannot speak, as well as problems like bed sores, the patient being dirty, and soiled bed linens and laundry.
  
  

Financial Abuse

• Financial abuse is a potential risk for elderly nursing home patients, some of whom are unaware of how to deal with unscrupulous individuals and others that do not have full control of their mental and physical faculties. Staff members and untrustworthy friends or family members with unsupervised access may steal money from a patient, use the patient's credit card or financial accounts without authorization, forge the patient's signature on financial documents or manipulate the patient's monetary transactions, among other forms of taking financial advantage of unprotected seniors.