One of the leading causes of death in nursing homes is cardiovascular disease. Other common causes include Alzheimer’s disease, pneumonia, sepsis, and falls or other accidents. Some nursing home deaths occur simply due to aging or illness, while others are preventable.
If you’ve recently lost a loved one in a nursing home and you suspect negligence on the part of the facility, it is worth it to ask difficult questions. Our nursing home abuse lawyers in West Hollywood may be able to help.
Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys has advocated for injured people and their families since 2016. We put our clients first. Always! Call today to schedule a free consultation and tell us about your concerns.
Cardiovascular Disease and Sudden Cardiac Events
According to a 2025 study by researchers at Baylor University Medical Center, heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in nursing homes.
This is often recorded as a normal part of aging, but the truth is more complicated. Sometimes, a health issue that could be managed can suddenly lead to a serious event without any warning.
Congestive heart failure is especially common among nursing home residents. A resident who suddenly retains fluid or struggles to breathe lying flat is showing signs that staff should catch.
Omega Law will look at whether a facility recognized and responded to these warning signs in time, since a delayed response to a cardiac event could be considered negligence in a nursing home.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia-Related Complications
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills over time, and it is the most common form of dementia among nursing home residents. As the disease advances, it eventually impairs basic functions.
Wandering, falls, and aspiration pneumonia all occur more frequently among residents with advanced dementia, and each patient requires a facility to adjust its supervision accordingly. Ambulatory dementia residents require specific attention, and facilities are expected to plan for that.
Omega Law Group will review whether a facility’s care plan actually matches the resident’s stage of dementia, since a one-size-fits-all approach to supervision often leaves the most vulnerable residents exposed.
Pressure Ulcers and Sepsis From Untreated Wounds
Bedsores develop when a resident isn’t repositioned often enough. What starts as a simple red spot can quickly turn into a serious sore that affects deeper tissues like muscle or bone if it’s not treated. It’s important to take action right away to prevent this from happening.
Once infection sets in, sepsis can follow. The body’s inflammatory response overwhelms organs one after another, and by the time staff recognizes the signs, treatment options may already be limited.
Omega Law Group has seen how often these deaths trace back to a simple failure to turn a resident on schedule, something that should never be treated as optional.
Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
Shared spaces and staff moving quickly between rooms create conditions in which respiratory infections spread quickly. Aspiration pneumonia, which occurs when food or liquid enters the lungs instead of the stomach, is especially common among residents with swallowing difficulties.
When pneumonia affects an older adult, it can worsen quickly, and every hour without treatment is significant. Care facilities must closely monitor residents who have swallowing or breathing risks to notice any problems early.
Omega Law Group can review whether a facility recognized warning signs like coughing during meals or labored breathing before it was too late.
Falls and Traumatic Injuries
A fall that seems minor to a healthy adult can be catastrophic for an elderly resident. Hip fractures alone carry a notably high mortality rate, and head trauma can trigger bleeding that goes unnoticed for too long.
Facilities should evaluate fall risk and implement safety measures. When basic steps are neglected, residents who could have been safeguarded may suffer serious injuries.
Omega Law Group can review incident reports and care plans to determine whether the facility staff actually followed through on the fall prevention measures they promised. If they didn’t, the documentation may prove nursing home abuse or negligence.
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Chronic Understaffing Contributes to Nursing Home Deaths
Many of the issues mentioned stem from the fundamental problem of insufficient staffing. When a single aide is tasked with caring for twenty residents instead of eight, important things are bound to be overlooked.
Similar to other states, the California Department of Public Health requires facilities to maintain certain staffing ratios. A failure to meet these standards can result in increased response times and residents left unattended.
Our team at Omega Law Group will pull staffing records and payroll data to see whether a facility was actually staffed the way state law demands during the period in question.
Talk to Us if You Suspect Negligence Contributed to a Death
Cardiovascular disease, dementia, infections, and accidents such as falls are some of the leading causes of death in nursing homes. Facilities have every incentive to attribute a death to age or underlying illness rather than to their own shortcomings.
That explanation is convenient, but it isn’t always accurate, and families deserve more than a convenient answer.
If you have questions about the events surrounding your loved one’s death in a nursing home, call Omega Law Group today for a free consultation. You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Let our family take care of your family.
