Federal law requires all 50 states to perform unannounced inspections of long-term care facilities at least once every 15 months. These inspections are supposed to be comprehensive, examining each facility for its compliance with health and safety rules set by the federal government. Despite this, one quarter of Missouri’s nursing homes haven’t had a health inspection in two or more years.
There are currently 510 nursing homes operating in the state of Missouri. Of these, 126 are more than two years past due for an inspection. Our state has one of the largest backlogs of nursing home inspections in the entire country.
These inspections perform an important function, such as identifying key failures that put residents at risk of being abused or neglected. Dirty living conditions, inadequate nutrition, insufficient staffing numbers, improper medication practices, and more can all indicate a dangerous or unsafe facility.
The backlog of inspections can partially be blamed on a temporary pause that went into effect during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that inspections have resumed, there’s another heartbreaking contributing factor—a significant increase in both the number and severity of nursing home complaints.
Your loved one deserves better, and they may not have the time to wait around for an inspector to finally make their way to the facility.
You and your family may be the ones to make a difference. Thomas Law Offices proudly represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. Because when the state fails to protect our most vulnerable population, you can count on our team of experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Columbia to stand up for what’s right. Contact us today and we’ll schedule you for a completely free case evaluation.