Prior to the early part of 2020, assisted living facilities fairly regularly made headlines across the United States because of cases involving the abuse and neglect of clients. Beginning in March 2020, a shift occurred with innumerable reports of a huge number of assisted living facility residents being diagnosed with COVID-19. Both before and after the start of 2020, there has been something of a quiet epidemic at assisted living facilities associated with a lack of proper security.
Common Types of Assisted Living or Nursing Home Security Lapses
There are six more commonplace types of security lapses at assisted living facilities and nursing homes. These are:
- Inadequate Control of Facility Entrances
- Lack of Suitable Video Surveillance System
- Poor Lighting Inside Common Areas
- Poor Lighting Surrounding Facility
- Incomplete Screening of Staff
- Improper Control of Facility Exists
Inadequate Control of Facility Entrances
A common security deficiency that ultimately results in in injuries or other types of losses to residents of assisted living facilities or nursing homes is inadequate control over entrances to a center. A properly secured nursing home or similar operation requires all visitors to check in at a central location. Ideally, this means that a facility of this nature has one central entryway that visitors of all types access.
There is a check-in point directly inside the entryway in which visitors need to provide identification and sign in. When they have completed their time in the building, they are required to sign out as well.
The failure to utilize this type of reasonable entrance control can result in people will ill-intent entering a facility to commit crimes. Examples include everything from theft to sexual assaults.
Lack of Suitable Video Surveillance System
On a related note, the proper security of an assisted living facility or nursing home includes the placement of a reliable video surveillance system. Such a system needs to be comprehensive and encompass the exterior and interior common places.
Poor Lighting Inside Common Areas
Poor lighting in facility common areas is yet another underlying factor associated with accidents that give rise to resident injuries. In some cases, the issue of inadequate lighting extends even into resident rooms at a facility.
Poor Lighting Surrounding Facility
Similarly, poor lighting around a facility, including parking lots, is a fairly regular contributing cause to injuries sustained by people on the premises. These include family members who come to a facility to visit a loved one and end up injured in a parking lot, in part because of lighting issues.
Incomplete Screening of Staff
An alarming number of assisted living or nursing home residents are neglected or abused by staff members every year. In a notable number of cases, these perpetrators might have been kept from employment at a facility through comprehensive screening. Incomplete or improper screening can constitute negligence when a resident suffers injuries as a result of abuse or neglect.
Improper Control of Facility Exits
Another common underlying cause for the injury at an assisted living and nursing care facility involves residents who need appropriate supervision leaving the center alone. This occurs when exits from a facility are not appropriately controlled. Proper control of exits is of particular concern in facilities that maintain memory centers for residents with dementia and similar issues.
Protect Legal Rights with a Nursing Home Negligent Security Lawyer
If you’ve a loved one who’s been injured in an assisted living facility or nursing home, an examination must be made as to whether security lapses in the areas just discussed have contributed to the loss. Security lapses can be deemed negligence on the part of an assisted living or nursing care facility.
A negligent security lawyer from The Doan Law Firm is available to (800) 349-0000 to discuss your situation. A nationwide law firm, we can schedule an appointment with you at any one of the many offices we have across the United States. In addition, when can schedule a virtual appointment with a nursing home negligence lawyer from our firm via the internet. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a negligent security lawyer to nursing home negligence attorney from our firm.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you: We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you.