While much media attention has been focused on the risks that nursing home residents in New York may be exposed to from staff neglect, negligent nursing home security creates another threat that you should consider. Although acts of violence by an outside intruder may be somewhat rare, Provider magazine notes that they do occur, and nursing home residents and staff have been injured or killed as a result. At the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny, we have answered the questions of many concerned family members who want to identify and rule out facilities that do not provide a safe environment for residents.
When you are evaluating the safety of any nursing home, such as fire evacuation routes and sprinkler systems, you should also ask questions about staff preparedness in the event of a man-made emergency. For example, during your interview you may ask whether nursing home staff receive training in how to protect residents, deal with an intruder and work with law enforcement to neutralize the danger.
The nursing home presents both unique and complex circumstances when it comes to safety, and security measures should be tailored to the specific facility’s operations. The administrator who answers your questions should be able to demonstrate that the points of access have appropriate locks, alarms and cameras to prevent unauthorized entry. The location of the facility and the surrounding neighborhood may also be factors that raise the risk of an incident. For more information about nursing home issues and the well-being of residents, please visit our web page.
