According to statistics, there are more than nursing homes in North Carolina. With so many of them in the state, instances of nursing home elopement have likely occurred. If you have a loved one who resides in a nursing home, you should become aware of what that constitutes.
Nursing home elopement explained
Nursing home elopement is when a resident of the nursing home leaves without permission or supervision. This is dangerous because a nursing home resident could have decreased mental capabilities or an illness.
For example, a resident with Alzheimer’s or dementia is more likely to elope. They might get confused about where they are and try to find their way home. Sometimes, the patient might think they have to meet a friend or a family member. The danger is that the resident could get lost, suffer an injury, fail to get their medications or even face death.
What causes a resident to do this?
Many things can cause a resident to wander away from the nursing home. However, nursing home elopement is often the result of nursing home neglect. The resident may be able to leave the premises because they’re not being watched. In addition to inadequate supervision, it’s possible that the location isn’t secure.
The aftermath of elopement
If nursing home neglect results in elopement, the resident’s family members might decide to take legal action. Most people think that nursing home neglect is limited to sexual abuse, physical abuse or financial abuse, but ignoring a patient is often just as damaging. When a nursing home fails to supervise a resident, it can result in civil or criminal penalties.
