A New York malpractice lawyer said recently that residents in [US] nursing homes should be careful, as nursing homes are not as safe as many people think. Speaking with reporters, Paul Dansker said: “There are a few basic problems that occur over and over again. And those problems can be very, very dangerous.”

Often nursing home residents are either too shy or even scared to speak out on anything they feel worried. However Mr. Dansker believes they should. He points to a common ailment such as bedsores, as a condition that indicates nursing care is not up to scratch.

“If the person is incapacitated, they have to be turned on a regular basis,” he said.

He adds: “Bedsores can cause horrible infections, and even lead to amputations of limbs, or even death. This is very, very serious and should tell you proper care is not being given.”

He also advises visitors to keep an eye on what is going on during their stay. He said: “If you are visiting on a regular basis and see that your loved one is dirty, unkempt, smells bad, and the area is not clean—this is an issue. What we see frequently is falling.”

Falling is very common with old people. In the UK, the NHS is very aware of this problem so set up a dedicated task force within hospitals. In the USA however this is possibly not something taken as seriously as it should.

“Perhaps the nursing home resident is trying to get out of bed and go to the bathroom,” said Mr. Dansker. “Allowing an elderly person who can’t manage on their own to be in situation where they fall then that is very often an actionable event.”