What Are the Most Common Complaints About Nursing Homes?

The hope for transitioning a loved one to a nursing home facility is that your loved one will be well taken care of by an attentive staff in a clean and comfortable environment. According to the latest data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1.6 million residents live in 15,300 licensed nursing homes across the country.

It stands to reason that there will be random issues at those facilities. If you know the most common complaints about nursing homes, you can watch out for them where your loved one is living.

Accessing the Complaint Level

Nursing homes do not operate in a vacuum. They are meant to go through a rigorous inspection and certification process. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General oversees much of that inspection process. That begins with accessing the complaint level. They break it down into two categories:

• Immediate Jeopardy Complaints: These are scenarios where a complaint is directly related to an “immediate risk of serious injury, harm, impairment or death to a resident.” A complaint of this nature is meant to be investigated within two days of being filed.
• Non-Immediate Jeopardy or High Priority Complaints: These are the situations where a facility is not in compliance with “one or more Federal requirements may have caused harm that negatively impacts the individual’s mental, physical, and/or psychosocial status and are of such consequence to the person’s well-being that a rapid response by the State survey agency is indicated.” When this type of complaint is filed, a state agency is meant to provide an on-site inspection within ten days.

How prevalent are these complaints? In 2018, for example, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that in Illinois, the number of immediate jeopardy complaints was 93, and the number of high-priority complaints was 4,522. That compares to Ohio where the OIG found identified 370 immediate jeopardy and 3,686 high-priority complaints that same reporting year.

Common Reasons for Complaints Filed Against Nursing Homes

The following are some of the most common complaints registered in nursing homes:

Substandard Food Quality

Proper nutrition is essential at every age, especially for seniors who depend on well-balanced meals that provide suitable protein, vitamins, and nutrients. Many nursing home residents and their families feel the facility’s meals could be better in terms of flavor and fresh ingredients. In addition to improving food quality, nursing homes should strive to have their residents take their meals seated at a table and engage with other residents.

Staffing Problems

Nursing home facilities often face staff turnover issues, which strain the existing staff. As a result, residents often feel as though they aren’t being taken care of as they would like to be. Staff members could also not be properly trained to perform the basic caretaker functions, which can increase the risk of injuries to the residents.

Resident Isolation

One of the many benefits of nursing home care should be the 24/7 care offered by the staff. Additionally, a nursing home allows its residents to remain socially active. Obviously, some residents will have dementia issues that make socializing a problem. However, ongoing activities and events should enable the residents to gather outside their rooms and engage with others.

Consistent staff visits should prevent the residents confined to their beds from feeling isolated.

Disrupting Sleep

Some elements in a nursing home are similar to those in a hospital. Rooms are often shared by residents. Vital signs must be monitored, and medication must be provided overnight. This can disrupt the sleep of the other occupants in the room. Loud conversations between the staff can also interfere with quality sleep.

Slow Response Times

Most nursing homes have in-room calling systems meant to provide residents with a way to call for help from the staff. However, because of staffing issues, these calls can take a long time to be answered or go unanswered altogether. That can be a serious issue, especially if the resident is in distress when they make the call.

Filing a Complaint If a Nursing Home Neglected You or a Loved One

If there is an issue with the level of care your loved one receives in their nursing home, consider filing an official complaint. That complaint should be filed in writing, either through email or a form provided by the facility. It is essential to document any instances of nursing home neglect you can, along with the day it occurred.

If you feel that the complaint has not been answered to your satisfaction, you can involve outside agencies that regulate the nursing homes in your area. You might also consider getting an experienced attorney engaged in the situation. There is a decent chance that your complaint is also an issue with several other residents, and it should be rectified before genuine harm occurs.