Blog

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals aged 75 and older face the highest rates of hospitalizations and fatalities due to traumatic brain injuries, a statistic that includes residents in nursing facilities. For an elderly nursing home resident, surviving a brain injury may bring not only physical challenges but also a...

How common is it for nursing homes to have temporary staff? Nursing homes have often used independent staffing agencies to help address temporary staffing shortages. For example, when staff members go on vacation or are out sick. However, a study has found that since the pandemic, nursing homes have increasingly relied on temporary agency staff,...

Nursing home residents have rights, and one of the most basic rights is the ability to speak up about poor treatment in the facility. However, despite legal protections at the federal and state level, residents do not always have that freedom in practice, in part because they fear they will face retaliation from staff and...

When placing your loved one in an Alabama nursing home, you presumably expect a safe environment that provides the best possible care. After all, that's what nursing homes are designed for. A regular nursing home inspection of an Alabama facility is an important part of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our elderly population....

A recent report has placed Alabama near the bottom of the list when it comes to the quality of nursing home and home-based care, ranking the state 50th out of 51. This ranking underscores the urgent need for significant improvements in the quality of care provided in nursing homes and home-based settings. Among the myriad...

Seniors 65 and older face a significantly higher risk of choking and asphyxiation. Researchers estimate that up to 40 percent of elderly nursing home residents experience difficulty swallowing. At Shuttlesworth Law Firm, P.C., we understand that this risk is a serious concern and that choking incidents are often signs of nursing home negligence. Choking can...

Nursing home facilities are responsible for the health and safety of residents. But every year, many residents suffer concussions that are the result of nursing home neglect. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can occur when someone suffers a head injury – and it can have a significant impact on well-being...

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a widespread medical concern among nursing home residents, particularly older adults. Alarmingly, numerous cases of UTIs in long-term care facilities are rooted in neglect and abuse toward residents. This raises significant questions: What factors contribute to the prevalence of UTIs in nursing homes? What are the underlying reasons for their...

A new Supreme Court ruling may have made it easier for individuals in Alabama and across the U.S. to sue nursing homes that abuse and neglect residents. Residents have the right to demand justice for violations In a 7-2 decision, the court affirmed an earlier court ruling that determined when an individual nursing home resident's...

With just 10 inspectors statewide, Alabama is facing a crisis. Nursing homes are held to high standards of safety and ethical conduct because they are responsible for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Those standards are enforced by state inspectors who investigate allegations of safety violations to protect residents' rights and quality...