Careless Nursing Home Staff Causes a Death by Dehydration
Just give the residents the water they need. It's that simple.
Seventy-one year old Dean Cole was suffering the effects of dementia. His wife, Virginia, could no longer take care of him so she decided to put him in Golden Livingcenter in Greeley, Minnesota. Virginia called each day to inquire after her husband and to make sure he was eating well. Each time Virginia called, the nursing home staff told her that everything was fine and that he was eating properly.
But there was a problem. After only three weeks, Mr. Cole had lost 20 pounds, and had become distressed and confrontational. Soon, he was discovered in a coma in his bed. He was rushed to the hospital where it was determined he was suffering from severe dehydration, kidney failure, colitis and pneumonia.
Mr. Cole died three weeks later. A review of his nursing home records revealed that a dietary manager had recommended that Mr. Cole be given a nutritional supplement three times a day. That never happened, though. The nursing home staff just ignored the recommendation.
The state has investigated this case and found that the nursing home was negligent in that they did not prevent Mr. Cole’s dehydration nor maintain his weight. They also failed to notify his doctor of his drastic weight loss. Mrs. Cole is now suing for damages in the hopes that other residents will be given the attention and care that is required.
Michael Jeffcoat concentrates his practice in nursing home cases involving infections, pressure sores, falls, broken bones, sexual abuse, malnutrition, dehydration, fraudulent charting and fraudulent billing.
