When admitting loved ones to a nursing home or other long-term care facility, you expect staff to proactively manage care and protect vulnerable residents from harm. However, that is not always the case.
Norovirus, a highly contagious virus, is especially harmful to the elderly or infirm. Proper prevention techniques in long-term care settings are critical. When outbreaks of norovirus occur and threaten the health and safety of residents, the facility can be found negligent for not taking necessary precautions.
What is Norovirus?
Norovirus is a group of viruses that cause inflammation in the stomach and intestines. These viruses are very contagious and are easily spread through contact with infected patients and contaminated objects. While the viruses are common in confined areas like cruise ships, they also occur in highly populated healthcare facilities like nursing homes and other long-term care settings.
Often transmitted through contaminated food, norovirus is also transmitted through touching something contaminated and then touching the body. Norovirus is very resilient and can survive extreme temperatures and water. As a result, it is hard to kill and leads to outbreaks that can cause serious illness or death to residents, especially those with compromised immune systems.
Nursing Home Negligence
The careless actions of staff lead to outbreaks of norovirus, which are otherwise very preventable. Complications from norovirus include severe dehydration, malnutrition and even death.
Nursing home staff must take health and sanitation practices seriously to prevent the spread of norovirus including:
- Isolating ill residents in their rooms.
- Using disposable plates and eating utensils for infected residents.
- Wearing masks, gloves and gowns when working with residents who have been infected.
It is never acceptable for a facility to allow an outbreak of illness such as norovirus, especially when it has potential to seriously harm its residents. If your loved one has suffered serious harm because of neglectful health and sanitation practices in a nursing home or other long-term care setting, the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Hupy and Abraham are here to help.
Contact Hupy and Abraham with any questions or for a free consultation. Call 800-800-5678 or start a live chat anytime at Hupy.com.