Wandering Off & Elopement
Experienced Representation in Nursing Home Injury Cases
Federal law requires nursing homes to provide adequate supervision to prevent residents from wandering off. Staffing regulations are not always sufficient to keep residents safe, however. Some nursing homes need more than the required number of staff due to their size or the types of patients they house.
Lack of Supervision Can Cause Resident Injury or Death
Wandering occurs when a cognitively-impaired resident moves unsupervised through the facility without a rational purpose or an awareness of his or her personal safety. Unsupervised residents can enter dangerous areas of the nursing home such as stairways, bathrooms, kitchens, boiler rooms and laundry rooms, subjecting themselves to falls, broken bones and hazardous substances.
Elopement is the term used when a cognitively-impaired resident leaves a nursing home without supervision. When elopement occurs, the resident is exposed to numerous dangers, including falling, getting lost, suffering dehydration, heat stroke or frost bite, and becoming a victim of a pedestrian accident or a crime.
Understaffing is the primary reason that residents are not adequately supervised. Additional negligence may include:
- Failure to train staff on the importance of proper resident supervision
- Failure to adequately supervise residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia
- Failure to provide security measures in dementia wards/units
- Failure to install alarms or safety devices that notify staff of resident movement
Let the RGLZ Family Help Your Family
Was a loved one injured by wandering on or off of nursing home grounds? The lawyers at RGLZ may be able to help you. We have extensive experience with nursing home injury and wrongful death cases in New York. To schedule a free consultation with a Suffolk County or New York City attorney, please call 866-639-5567 or contact us online.