The purpose of a group home is to provide residents with the opportunity to live independently while still providing them with the safety, assistance and resources they need. Ensuring your loved one’s safety is paramount. When touring potential facilities, be mindful of any signs that make you question the quality of the environment and the type of care your loved one will receive.
While this is not an exhaustive list, these are some of the most common signs that a group home is unsafe or unsanitary:
Dirty Living Spaces
Visible filth and clutter in hallways, common areas, and bedrooms are a clear sign that the group home staff is not taking appropriate measures to keep their residents safe. Not only could clutter be a tripping hazard resulting in slip and fall injuries, but dirty living quarters could lead to allergies, respiratory issues, infections and even skin conditions.
Poor Hygiene
Likewise, be cognizant of how the other residents look. Is their hair brushed? Are they wearing stained, soiled or torn clothing? Residents don’t just need to be clean, they deserve to be. Poor hygiene is often a sign that the staff either isn’t prioritizing good hygiene or have the time to properly care for their residents.
Unsupervised Residents
Not every group home resident requires 24/7 supervision. However, individuals who are left alone for prolonged periods, or by proxy, without a way to contact their direct support professional could be a sign of neglect.
Whether the resident is being left alone because of the bad actions of one staff member or severe understaffing, no group home resident should be unsupervised. If the group home is cutting corners by reducing staff, you have to wonder what other cost-cutting measures they could be taking that ultimately take away from resident safety.
Foul Odors
One of the biggest signs that a group is unsanitary is if it has foul odors, including trash, urine, and feces. This could be a sign that the staff is either not regularly tending to these messes or are using inadequate cleaning products or processes.
Poor Lighting
A random burnt out bulb isn’t cause for alarm. However, look for consistent poor lighting throughout the facility, including hallways, stairwells, and common areas that may pose bigger tripping hazards. Poor lighting may also be a sign of the group home trying to mask unsanitary areas or that they don’t have a working generator in the event of a hurricane.
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Signs of Possible Group Home Neglect That’s Unique to Florida
For group homes located in Tallahassee and beyond, there are additional signs you should be on the lookout for when touring facilities:
No Air Conditioning
Temperatures in Florida are rarely cool, averaging around 73 degrees year round. Without working air conditioning, residents may suffer from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and even respiratory issues from mold growth if there is not proper ventilation. Look for windows that don’t open, broken A/C units, mold growth, or general warm temps when walking into a room, as these may be all signs of no air conditioning or ongoing problems.
Inadequate Shading
To help keep residents cool and free from sunburn and other heat-related risks, all outdoor areas should include properly shaded areas, including porches and patios. Outdoor areas that aren’t properly shaded might seem like a small infraction but if the group home isn’t thinking of protecting its residents with this basic necessity, then it could signify that they’re willing to forgo other protections, too. We’ve had multiple successes handling preventable sunburn cases here in north Florida.
Inadequate Hurricane Preparedness
Florida, along with the other states on the Gulf Coast, have one of the highest hurricane rates in the country. Because of this, group homes should have preparedness plans, including what to do if there is a power outage or need to evacuate.
Ask staff about their hurricane preparedness. If they can’t answer or only provide vague details, it might be because they don’t have a plan in place.
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What to Do if You Suspect Group Home Negligence in Florida
If you suspect that your loved one is being neglected or that negligence played a role in their injury, the following steps can help you protect them and your claim for compensation:
Speak Up
If your loved one, or any resident, is at risk of harm, don’t wait to speak up. Get them the help they need as soon as possible. Raise your concern with the supervisor or group home administrator and ask for a written confirmation of your report, as this will be critical for your claim.
If there is an emergency, you should call 9-1-1. Don’t ask staff to call, as the unwritten policy at many long term care facilities is to ask the physician first, and that “ask” may even be by fax! If there’s an emergency, you should call 9-1-1, and then tell the staff that you’ve already called.
Document What You Saw
Take note of the unsafe and unsanitary conditions, including when and where you saw them. If you reported your concerns, write down who you spoke with and what they said, and photodocument what you’ve seen.
Report the Neglect
Raising your concern to the on-site supervisor is important, but it’s often not enough to effectuate actual change within the group home. To make sure your voice is heard and that your loved one is protected, contact either the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) or the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). These reports will trigger an investigation into the neglect. In our experience, DCF generally conducts the more comprehensive and robust investigation.
Contact a Group Home Negligence Lawyer
A lawyer can investigate what happened and help you recover compensation to cover medical bills and relocation costs. Most significantly, an attorney can hold the group home liable for their negligence.
While nothing can reverse the harm your loved one suffered, legal action can help ensure this situation doesn't happen to anyone else.
Contact Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney & Hobbs to Discuss Your Group Home Negligence Claim
Group home residents deserve to be protected. If you believe your loved one was neglected at their group home in Tallahassee and beyond, don’t wait to get the help you need. At Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney & Hobbs, we have years of experience representing families in their group home negligence claims and advocating for justice.
We will thoroughly investigate the details of your case to hold the facility responsible for the harm their negligence caused. We understand the emotions that come with learning your loved one hasn’t been given the care they deserve and we’re here to help you navigate this road ahead. Contact us today at 850-605-3555 to schedule a free consultation.
Our main office is in Tallahassee. However, we represent families all across Florida, including Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Leon County, Bay County, all across the big bend, and we seem to always have cases down to Naples and Ft. Meyers, to Pensacola and all points in between. We’ll get answers for you when you need them the most. You’re not in this fight alone.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.