A nursing expert witness opines on a senior care case involving a resident of an assisted living facility who died from head trauma following a fall and lack of medical treatment for several days. This case concerns a seventy-year-old female who was in relatively good health. The woman’s husband passed away, prompting her to move to an assisted living facility, as it was deemed a safer environment for her than living independently. The patient tripped over a footstool whilst attempting to swap out her dentures adhesives, and sustained a severe blow to the head. She made authorities at the facility aware of her injury. Subsequently the senior living community brought the resident back to her room where she was left unattended for two days without medical treatment or anyone checking on her. During this time the elderly woman was not eating or drinking and was continually slipping in and out of consciousness. Two days following the accident a visiting family member found the woman unresponsive in her room and called 911. The woman was transported to a hospital via ambulance. Treating physicians found that the patient had suffered a subdural hemorrhage as a result of the fall and required emergency brain surgery.
